Joseph Bonney, Senior Editor | Aug 20, 2012 5:13PM EDT
The fire-damaged MSC Flaminia was being towed toward the U.K. on Monday for an inspection that may clear the way for the container ship to enter German waters, the vessel’s owner said.
The ship, owned by Reederei NSB and chartered by Mediterranean Shipping Co., caught fire July 14 in the mid-Atlantic. Two crewmembers died and three were injured, one critically, and the crew was forced to abandon ship.
The vessel and accompanying salvage tugs were being towed to U.K. waters from about 450 nautical miles offshore, where they had been waiting while the ship’s owners sought to obtain permission to enter port.
Reederei NSB said the ship had been assigned to the German Central Command for Maritime Emergencies in Cuxhaven for further coordination, and that details would be issued Tuesday in Bremerhaven.
The ship’s owner has declared general average, meaning losses will be apportioned among all parties with cargo on the vessel. The MSC Flaminia has capacity of 6,732 20-foot-equivalent units.
Contact Joseph Bonney at jbonney@joc.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JosephBonney.
