ContainersEuropeOperations

19,000-teu containership is still stuck, rescue attempt abandoned

One of the world’s largest containerships is still aground in the River Elbe outside Germany’s Port of Hamburg after a rescue attempt at high tide today was abandoned when the ship failed to shift.

At around 13:00hrs (local time) today, team of seven tugs tried to move the 400-metre-long  CSCL Indian Ocean off the sandbank on which it ran ground, the nautical department of the Hamburg Harbourmaster’s office told Splash by phone today.

The vessel grounded at around 22:00hrs last night, which is believed to be due to power failure, the nautical office said. On Wednesday night, the ship’s captain informed the Brunsbüttel Vessel Traffic Centre that the steering gear had failed, other reports say.

Now authorities may begin to siphon off fuel oil from the vessel or offload its container cargo in order to make the containership easier to shift, the office said.

Alternatively, dredgers may be used to remove silt from alongside the vessel and deepen the channel so that the ship can be refloated.

There are no signs of pollution or damage to the vessels hull, the official confirmed.

Holly Birkett

Holly is Splash's Online Editor and correspondent for the UK and Mediterranean. She has been a maritime journalist since 2010, and has written for and edited several trade publications. She is currently studying for membership of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers. In 2013, Holly won the Seahorse Club's Social Media Journalist of the Year award. She is currently based in London.
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