Buxtehude, May 22 2013
After six weeks of waiting at Constanza/Romania, MSC FLAMINIA put into the port of Constanza at 6.00pm on May 17, 2013. There, fire fighting experts of the cargo owners, of the charterer and of REEDEREI NSB will board the vessel to continue the investigation into the cause of the damage.
Before MSC FLAMINIA can proceed to the Daewoo shipyards in Mangalia, the ship will be lightened. MSC FLAMINA’s draft amounts to 8.80m, the shipyard’s draft limit is 6.40m. To lighten the vessel, cargo holds 4,5 and 6 will be cleared of remaining containers and cargo residues.
This stage will approximately last one month. Afterwards, MSC FLAMINIA will be repaired in the shipyard in Mangalia.
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Buxtehude, March 15 2013
Today, at 5.00 p.m., MSC FLAMINIA has left the Jade-Weser-Port in Wilhelmshaven. The vessel put out to sea without any further occurrences and set a course for the North Sea. MSC FLAMINIA’s destination are the Daewoo shipyards in Mangalia, Romania, where the ship will be overhauled. The voyage to Romania is expected to take up ten days.
Prior to the vessel’s departure, REEDEREI NSB had received the written permission for the notification process from Romanian authorities. This permission was required to be able to begin the voyage to the shipyard.
REEDEREI NSB and Daewoo shipyards estimate that the repairs will be completed by the end of September.
(Please find two latest pictures in our database at the end of this page.)
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Buxtehude, March 07 2013
On March 1, 2013, the last Tanker carrying extinguishing water from the MSC FLAMINIA has left Jade-Weser-Port towards Denmark.
The departure of MSC FLAMINIA which was planned for Friday, March 8, 2013, has been postponed. Classification papers are present and the stability and security of the vessel has been confirmed by Germanischer Lloyd. Currently, REEDEREI NSB is only waiting for the confirmation of notification from Romania.
A prediction regarding the departure of the vessel cannot be made at the present time.
It is still planned that the vessel will sail to Romania on its own power. There, preparations have already been made to exchange the damaged center sections of MSC FLAMINIA at Daewoo shipyards Mangalia. The Daewoo shipyards in Mangalia are a subsidiary of the shipyard in Korea where MSC FLAMINIA was built.
The travel time to Romania will be approximately ten days.
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Buxtehude, February 20 2013
Last Friday, February 15, 2013, a contract regulating the disposal of the extinguishing water which is still inside the MSC FLAMINIA, has been signed between REEDEREI NSB and the Danish disposal company Nordgroup a/s. According to this contract, the extinguishing water will be pumped out and transported onboard tankers to be disposed of in Denmark. German and Danish authorities have agreed to this procedure and have approved the necessary proceedings.
On the morning of February 20, 2013, the first tanker loaded with extinguishing water of MSC FLAMINIA has left Jade-Weser-Port for Denmark. Due to the great amount of extinguishing water multiple runs between the vessel’s current position in Jade-Weser-Port in Wilhelmshaven and the disposal facility are necessary. Currently, REEDEREI NSB estimates that the process of pumping out the remaining extinguishing water and of obtaining the authorities’ permission to leave Jade-Weser-Port will require two weeks. Subsequently, it is planned to transfer MSC FLAMINIA to a shipyard in Romania, where the repair of the vessel is already being prepared.
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Buxtehude, February 7 2013
MSC FLAMINIA remains alongside the pier of Jade-Weser-Port in Wilhelmshaven. As part of a notification process, which has to be completed positively in order to obtain the permission to leave the port, REEDEREI NSB is currently working to ensure compliance with all imposed administrative requirements. In this regard, the experts focus especially on the great amounts of extinguishing water which still remain inside of the vessel.
Due to the complexity of the requirements, no estimates on the duration of the notification process can be made. As soon as all approvals are given, MSC FLAMINIA will initiate its voyage to a repair shipyard.
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Buxtehude, December 7 2012
Due to administrative regulations, MSC FLAMINIA’s voyage to the repair dock is delayed. The vessel will not leave Jade-Weser-Port in Wilhelmshaven on December 10 as has been planned. The conditions for the grant of a permission to leave the port are currently negotiated.
In the meantime, operations on site continue. Currently, 43 containers remain on board. They are scheduled to be unloaded or disposed of during the coming week.
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Buxtehude, November 30 2012
Discharging operations of the MSC FLAMINIA are proceeding on schedule and in accordance with the waste management concept. Based on the fact that as of today 80 containers are still on board Reederei NSB assumes that the last container will be unloaded probably on 10.12.2012.
In the meantime cleaning up of the fire fighting water via electrolysis treatment has started. A special container has been brought on board through which the fire fighting water is piped. The cleaned fire fighting water is kept on board.
For stability reasons sailing to the repair dock will take place with the fire fighting water and the scrap metal.
Negotiations with shipyards in Romania and China are still going on.
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Buxtehude, October 24 2012
As part of the clean-up operations onboard MSC FLAMINIA, the first containers with remaining hotspots were unloaded yesterday. The contents were compressed cellulose as well as wood and paper which could only be extinguished by removing the surrounding container hulls.
The fire extinguishing operation, which was conducted by the fire brigade Wilhelmshaven and firefighting experts which were appointed specifically by Reederei NSB, succeeded as planned. After completion of these operations, the final hotspots onboard of MSC FLAMINIA will be extinguished.
During the next stages of the clean-up operations, additional destroyed, damaged and intact containers will be unloaded in the coming days. The unloading process is conducted according to the previously specified disposal concept.
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Buxtehude, October 19 2012
Information of the adjusters Groninger Welke Janssen regarding the further proceedings of MSC FLAMINIA’s general average:
“The carrier, MSC, has meanwhile indicated that an on-carriage of cargo to Bremerhaven / Antwerp is being planned in the very near future for all cargo which has been found fit for on-carriage and for which proper Salvage and General Average Securities have been provided.
Cargo interests are therefore, once again, requested to urgently put up security as MSC will consider an on-carriage once a sufficient number of containers are ready for on-carriage.
Some cargo underwriters refuse to issue cargo securities before their insured cargo has been fully surveyed. Please be aware that this will significantly delay the release process. We would therefore suggest that cargo underwriters give security for the full value of the cargo and once the cargo is fully surveyed the cargo values will be adjusted and in line with the joint survey findings also the value of the guarantees will be amended.
Considering the amount of containers already surveyed as per today the Adjusters expect that an on-carriage could take place still in October, always depending on cargo interests prompt provision of securities, if not already submitted.”
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Buxtehude, October 12 2012
MSC FLAMINIA is still at the quay of Jade-Weser-Port in Wilhelmshaven. There, the unloading of the vessel and the disposal of the cargo which was affected by the incident continues. So far, a total of 442 containers have been unloaded. This includes both damaged and undamaged containers. They are unloaded according to the disposal concept.
In order to unload damaged containers, a custom built steel trough is used. It allows the safe transfer of the cargo from the vessel to the quay. After ensuring that no harm for the population and the environment emanates from the unloaded, damaged containers, their contents are disposed. Subsequently the container hulls are scrapped. Unscathed containers are stored in a closed off area of the port until the general average has been processed. The insurance of Reederei NSB has appointed the general average adjusters Schlimme & Partner (Hamburg) and Rogers Wilkin Ahern (London), who themselves have included adjuster Groninger Welke Janssen.
Last week, the superstructure of MSC FLAMINIA has been cleaned and was approved by the authorities. Since then, a crew consisting of twelve seafarers of Reederei NSB is onboard MSC FLAMINIA and is supervising the ongoing operations. According to the disposal concept, these operations are supposed to last for two to three months. The overall direction remains with the German Central Command for Maritime Emergencies in Cuxhaven.
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Buxtehude, October 8 2012
It’s our sad duty to inform the public that the badly injured Philippine seafarer of our MSC FLAMINIA passed away on Sunday as a result of his wounds.
During the fire on board of MSC FLAMINIA the 41 - year - old received heavy burns which have been medicated in a specialty hospital for burn wounds in Portugal. Although it temporarily seemed that his condition improved he finally lost his life in the hospital due to his serious injuries.
The management and staff of Reederei NSB are deeply distraught that the tragic accident on board the MSC FLAMINIA claimed another victim. During the fire and subsequent explosion on July 14, 2012, which occurred during MSC FLAMINIA’s passage from Charleston/USA to Bremerhaven, one seafarer had died and one is still missing. The crew had abandoned the burning vessel and was rescued by an oil tanker and another container vessel.
We express our deepest sympathy to the families of the two deceased and the missed seafarers.
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Buxtehude, September 27 2012
Yesterday, the contracts between Reederei NSB and Jade-Weser-Port, the Terminal Eurogate and the disposal company regarding the further proceedings with MSC FLAMINIA and her cargo have been closed in Wilhelmshaven. Nehlsen GmbH & Co. KG has been appointed as the disposer. Consequently the unloading of containers can commence on Friday.
The cleanup work inside of the superstructure continues at the moment. After this stage a new crew, which is already on standby in Wilhelmshaven, will go onboard.
The investigations by experts appointed by Reederei NSB into the cause of the fire onboard MSC FLAMINIA are still ongoing. Currently no statement regarding the cause can be made. The analysis of the facts collected onboard will require a longer period of time.
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Buxtehude, September 21 2012
Joint press release by the general state attorneyship Hamburg and police inspection Stade:
„POL-STD: MSC FLAMINIA – state attorney and police investigate onboard – joint press release by the general state attorney Hamburg and police inspection Stade
Stade (ots) – Last Wednesday (09/19/12) at Jade-Weser-Port the state attorneyship of Hamburg conducted investigations onboard the damaged containership MSC FLAMINIA. “The responsible state attorney was onboard the heavily damaged vessel and gained first hand impressions on site”, senior state attorney Wilhelm Möllers said.
Together with the officials of the water police Stade, which carries out the investigations, representatives of BSU (Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation) and the German Central Command for Maritime Emergencies future procedures were discussed. The case is filed under the tags “death investigation”, “missing person” and “fire investigation”.
During the fire and the subsequent firefighting onboard the 46-year old Polish First Officer and three Filipino seafarers were heavily injured. Another seafarer is missing since. After the initial firefighting measures the First Officer had died of life threatening injuries onboard a rescue vessel. An autopsy was performed in the UK. Afterwards the body was transferred to his home country where the funeral has already been conducted. A 41-year old seafarer remains in a Portuguese specialty hospital with major burn injuries. The other two seafarers (aged 30 and 41) were released from medical care after some days and have since returned to their home countries.
According to the latest information there is no hope of finding the missing 51-year old Filipino seafarer alive. It is also unlikely to find his body. The area where the missing seafarer was last seen by witnesses shows devastating fire damages to the ship and the containers in the vicinity. Nevertheless, a voluntary saliva sample was taken from the daughter of the missing seafarer, who was present at Jade-Weser-Port on September 19. If parts of the body are found during the salvage of the vessel and the unloading and disposal of her cargo, an identification of the missing person via DNA analysis will be possible. Additionally, the data of the onboard computer systems of MSC FLAMINIA was secured.
Currently, no information regarding the cause of the fire can be made. The investigations continue.”
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Buxtehude, September 18 2012
The fire investigators commissioned by Reederei NSB and the charterer MSC are still investigating the cause of the fire onboard MSC FLAMINIA.
In the meantime, the disposal concept for MSC FLAMINA has been presented. Currently, its technical implementation is being further elaborated. During the first phase, the complete clean-up of the superstructure as well as the unloading of containers in cargo hold 7 is planned.
Various swipe samples on the containers of MSC FLAMINIA conducted by TÜV Nord (Technical Inspection Association) have yielded that no contamination on the surfaces of the containers can be detected. The analyses of the extinguishing water are still pending.
Reederei NSB is planning to commence the unloading of containers as soon as possible.
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Buxtehude, September 11 2012
After successfully concluding the salvage of MSC FLAMINIA, SMIT Salvage handed over the vessel to Reederei NSB in Wilhelmshaven on Monday. Reederei NSB would like to express its acknowledgement and gratitude towards the salvage captains and their crews as well as towards the owners of the salvage tugboats FAIRMOUNT EXPEDITION (Fairmount Marine), ANGLIAN SOVEREIGN (L. P. Knight) und CARLO MAGNO (Augustea S.A.) for their professional work under the given circumstances.
The costs for the salvage of MSC FLAMINIA, the disposal of her cargo and the extinguishing water as well as for the ensuing repair of the vessel can currently not be estimated. They will, however, be defrayed by the insurances as part of the general average which has been declared.
After a further inspection by the Fact Finding Team of the GCCME on Monday, the surveyors of TUIS (Transport-Accident-Information- and Emergency-Response System) confirmed that MSC FLAMINIA does not present an imminent chemical danger.
On Tuesday, Police, state attorneys and BSU (Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation) will initiate their investigations onboard of MSC FLAMINIA. The search for the missing seafarer and preliminary investigations into the cause of the fire are the main priorities at this stage. Subsequently during this week, a team of experts for forensic investigations into causes of fires will inspect MSC FLAMINIA on behalf of Reederei NSB.
Reederei NSB currently awaits the approval of the authorities to start the unloading and cleanup of MSC FLAMINIA. The restoration of onboard systems and the superstructure will then also be initiated.
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Buxtehude, September 09 2012
MSC FLAMINIA and its accompanying vessels have arrived safely today at 05.30 P.M. at Jade Weser Port in Wilhelmshaven. The arrival at the port was without any exceptional occurrences.
On Saturday, MSC FLAMINIA had reached its anchorage area off of Heligoland. There, the vessel was again inspected. During this inspection it was confirmed that a secure and hazard-free continuation of its voyage to Wilhelmshaven was possible. MSC FLAMINIA left the anchorage area around 08.30 A.M. towards Jade Weser Port.
The search for the still missing crewmember and the investigations into the cause of the fire will commence as soon as possible. These investigations will approximately last for one week. Afterwards, the unloading of the vessel can be started.
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Buxtehude, September 07 2012
MSC FLAMINIA and its accompanying group of tugs will reach the anchoring area off Heligoland on Saturday. There, the Fact Finding Team of the German Central Commando for Maritime Emergencies will go onboard and conduct an additional inspection. Depending on the result of this inspection, the vessel will then go alongside the pier of Jade-Weser-Port in Wilhelmshaven on Sunday.
There, Reederei NSB and the GCCME will immediately commence the search for the missing seafarer. The investigation into the cause of the fire and any further assessment of the status of MSC FLAMINIA will take several days until the next steps can be initiated.
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Buxtehude, September 05 2012
The passage of MSC FLAMINIA and its accompanying group of tugs through the English Channel continues. The vessel is expected to pass the border between French and Belgian territorial waters tonight. The transfer is proceeding without any exceptional events.
The pictures published together with this update were taken shortly before the commencement of the passage through the English Channel. They show MSC FLAMINIA with the towing gear connecting it to FAIRMOUNT EXPEDITION (Fairmount Marine). Additionally, it is apparent that there is no smoke generation.
The vessel is expected in German territorial waters this weekend.
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Buxtehude, September 02 2012
MSC FLAMINIA and her accompanying tug boats have left her holding position 20 miles south of Lands End and is now being towed to German territorial waters. At 12.30 lt (UTC + 1 hr) tow connection had been handed over from CARLO MAGNO to FAIRMOUNT EXPEDITION. They will reach their first waypoint at 13.45 lt.
The passage of the English Channel is expected to take five days.
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Buxtehude, September 01 2012
MSC FLAMINIA on Sunday on her way to German territorial waters
MSC FLAMINIA and her accompanying tug boats are expected to start passage of English Channel on Sunday. Passage will take approximately five days.
After all fires had been extinguished on board the MSC FLAMINIA by the salvage company Smit Salvage and after the stability and floatabilty as well as the solidity of the hull of MSC FLAMINIA had been confirmed once more by classification society GL Germanischer Lloyd, all involved coastal states of the English Channel (Great Britain, France, Belgium and the Netherlands) had granted permission for the passage on Friday respectively on Saturday. At the moment the firefighting tugs FAIRMOUNT EXPEDITION (Fairmount Marine), ANGLIAN SOVEREIGN (L. P. Knight) and CARLO MAGNO (Augustea S.A.) are being prepared for the passage, which is expected to start on Sunday.
On site represantatives of Reederei NSB in cooperation with the salvage company and the Central Command for Maritime Emergencies Germany (Havariekommando) have re-established the stearing gear and energy supply on board the MSC FLAMINIA. Superstructure of the vessel is intact and usable. Precautionary measures for a safe passage have been taken jointly. Engineers of managing owners NSB and the salvage company will be on board the MSC FLAMINIA during the passage of the English Channel in order to ensure a fire watch and the operational readiness of the fire extinguishing device of the vessel at any time.
In close cooperation of all involved parties the MSC FLAMINIA will be towed to German territorial waters considering all safety aspects and observing maximum possible preventive measures.
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Buxtehude, August 31 2012
After evaluating the results of the team of experts, who had analyzed the condition of MSC FLAMINIA, the passage of the vessel through the English Channel is unobjectionable from a safety-related perspective. Currently, final permissions from some littoral states are still pending. These permissions are expected in the next few days.
Until these permissions are granted, the salvage company SMIT will take the necessary preparations to ensure a safe passage through the English Channel.
The result of the experts is further confirmed by a report from Germanischer Lloyd which is based on the most current data from August 30, 2012. According to this report, stability and firmness of MSC FLAMINIA are not compromised and it is safe to tow the vessel.
The situation onboard has further improved. Most recent measuring shows that temperatures in cargo hold 7 are at merely 60° Celsius. The salvage team members are not required to employ any specialized PPE while working onboard of MSC FLAMINIA.
The situation of the cargo and especially the dangerous goods is carefully analyzed and monitored by experts of the German Central Command for Maritime Emergencies and Reederei NSB. The prevention of harm to the population and the environment is the top priority during all further stages of the salvage.
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Buxtehude, August 28 2012
After adverse weather conditions on Monday prevented the boarding the MSC FLAMINIA, two teams of experts were able to take this action today. One team consists of international experts while another has been sent by the German Central Command for Maritime Emergencies. The results of the inspection are expected in the coming days. After a positive result it is still planned to tow MSC FLAMINIA through the English Channel towards German waters. There, the ship will be anchoring before it is transferred to Jade-Weser-Port in Wilhelmshaven.
Like during the last weeks already, the contracted salvage experts of SMIT Salvage have again boarded the ship today, too. Since assuming responsibility for the salvage operation in mid-July, they have taken every opportunity to evaluate the situation on site and actively engage in firefighting and salvage operations. Their additional inspection revealed that the final container in cargo hold 3 with a hot spot was successfully extinguished by SMIT. The temperature within the cargo hold matches the ambient temperature. In cargo hold 7, ten containers were declared to be extinguished. Currently, higher temperatures are measured only in four more containers. Overall, significant progress has been made in the containment of the fire.
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Buxtehude, August 24 2012
This afternoon, MSC FLAMINIA and its accompanying tug boats FAIRMOUNT EXPEDITION (Fairmount Marine) and ANGLIAN SOVEREIGN (L.P. Knight) have arrived on the southwestern coast of the UK. The planned safety inspection will be conducted as soon as weather conditions make possible a secure transfer of the experts onboard the vessel. So far, the transfer was not possible due to adverse weather.
Already on August 23, 2012, an oil monitoring airplane of the German Central Command for Maritime Emergencies has overflown MSC FLAMINIA. During this flyover it could be confirmed that no liquids are leaking out of the vessel.
The German Central Command for Maritime Emergencies and Reederei NSB continue to intensively work together to coordinate any further processes regarding MSC FLAMINIA’s salvage. For any decision, reports and assessments of international firefighting and dangerous goods experts, specialists for maritime salvaging, engineers and ship builders are taken into consideration. Results of the fact-finding team with respect to stabillity of the vessel and hotspots in cargo holds 3 and 7 remain to be seen.
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Buxtehude, August 23 2012 II
Condition of MSC FLAMINIA and dangerous goods onboard containerships
On Friday, respectivel