Fertilizer vessel Vindo breaks down in North Sea

12 January 2007 11:28  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (ICIS news)--A cargo vessel carrying fertilizers is being tugged to Humber Port, UK, after it broke down in the North Sea and avoided collisions with two gas platforms, the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency said on Friday.

 

The 4,516 tonne vessel, the Vindo, suffered engine failure on Thursday afternoon and began to drift towards the Murdoch gas platform.

 

Managing to temporarily restart the engines, the crew averted a collision before the ship avoided hitting a second unmanned gas platform by as little as 700 yards.

 

It was not immediately clear who owned the vessel or the exact nature of the fertilizer product it was carrying.

 

The coastguard said that weather conditions were challenging with 50 knot winds from the west and a seven metre swell.

 

The ship will take around 20 hours to be towed to port, but it was unclear how long it would remain under repair.

By: Mark Watts
+44 20 8652 3214

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