What Crew Members Say About Primula-Seaways

On August 7, 2023, the ferry ‘Primula Seaways’ ran aground in the West Outer Harbour of Terneuzen due to a technical failure, specifically a blackout attributed to system malfunction. The shipping company DFDS has not disclosed further information about the incident. The vessel became stuck near the West Lock at approximately 10:00 a.m., prompting Rijkswaterstaat to initiate damage assessments on the dike impacted by the grounding. By 12:40 p.m., salvage efforts commenced with the deployment of tugs from both Multraship and Boluda to assist in freeing the vessel. Following a thorough inspection by regulatory authorities, ‘Primula Seaways’ was cleared to resume its voyage later that day. Meanwhile, Rijkswaterstaat is contending with considerable damage to the Westerschelde Dike, where the ferry’s bulb created a trench in the soft revetment. A detailed assessment of the underwater damage is pending, with initial estimates suggesting that repairs could run into hundreds of thousands of Euros.

On August 7, 2026, at 10:25 a.m., the ferry 'Primula Seaways,' making its way to Ghent, ran aground in the western foreport of Terneuzen, coming to rest with its bow against the riverbank at coordinates 51° 20' N 003° 49' E. Preliminary investigations suggest that a blackout of the onboard systems may have contributed to the grounding. In response to the incident, the tugs 'Multratug 9' (IMO: 9770866), 'Multratug 16' (IMO: 8414154), and 'VB Cavalier' (IMO: 9034987), joined forces with the port tender 'Patriot' to successfully refloat the stranded vessel. Additionally, the Rijkswaterstaat mobilized the patrol boat 'Maeslant' to evaluate the situation on-site. Once the 'Primula Seaways' was towed free shortly after 12:45 p.m., it was held near the lock by two tugs, while the 'Multratug 9' was subsequently released. Initial assessments indicated that the grounding had not resulted in significant damage to the ferry. Following its inspection, the vessel resumed its journey, departing from Terneuzen on August 8 and arriving in Ghent later the same day. During this incident, the impact on shipping activities remained minimal, although the locks were temporarily closed around midday due to low water levels in the canal. For more detailed reports, including photos and videos of the grounding and refloating efforts, visit the following links: - [Source 1](https://www.bndestem.nl/terneuzen/zeeschip-loopt-vast-in-westbuitenhaven-terneuzen-sleepboten-proberen-het-los-te-trekken~ab956bfe/?referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%) - [Source 2](https://www.omroepzeeland.nl/video/ZNO260807HW/het-schip-trekt-veel-bekijks) - [Source 3](https://www.hvzeeland.nl/nieuws/69880-groot-zeeschip-vastgelopen-bij-terneuzen/) - [Source 4](https://www.hvzeeland.nl/nieuws/69881-vastgelopen-zeeschip-bij-terneuzen-door-sleepboten-losgetrokken/?utm_source=hvzeeland&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=latest)

On February 22, 2019, the ferry 'Primula Seaways', which had embarked from Gothenburg, experienced a grounding incident while approaching the outer port of Terneuzen. The vessel sustained minor damage after it ran aground at approximately 12:30 p.m. as it navigated towards Ghent. The exact cause of the grounding remains unclear. Fortunately, the 'Primula Seaways' was quickly refloated and proceeded to enter the western lock of the Ghent-Terneuzen Canal. Following the incident, the ship was detained for a thorough inspection at the Mercator Dock in the bulk port, where police officers aboard the patrol boat 'RWS 88' of Rijkswaterstaat boarded to assess the situation. This patrol boat had previously responded to an incident involving the barge 'Daniella', which had collided with a pillar at Sluiskil earlier that day. After completing all required inspections, the 'Primula Seaways' resumed its journey, departing from Ghent at 3:20 a.m. on February 23, en route to Brevik with an expected arrival time of 5:00 a.m. on February 24. For further details, including photos and videos of the incident, visit Dutch news outlets: https://www.omroepzeeland.nl/nieuws/111266/Deens-vrachtschip-loopt-vast-bij-ingang-van-Buitenhaven-in-Terneuzen and https://www.hvzeeland.nl/nieuws/37704-vrachtschip-korte-tijd-vast-bij-terneuzen/

The ferry Primula Seaways has officially concluded her repair journey after sustaining damage from a collision. The vessel departed from the Fayard shipyard in Odense on April 5, 2018. Following her repairs, she was prepared for deployment from Gothenburg on April 8. The return to the original sailing schedule is anticipated for April 11, coinciding with the Jutlandia Seaways' reinstatement on the Cuxhaven-Immingham route. Petty while in Vigerö port on April 6, the Primula Seaways finally set sail on April 7 at 9:15 PM, arriving in Gothenburg by 7:45 AM on April 8. The ferry then resumed her planned itinerary, with her next journey scheduled for April 9 shortly after midnight, heading towards Ghent.

On March 9, the ferry 'Primula Seaways' embarked from Gent towards Fayard in Odense for much-needed repairs, with an estimated arrival on March 11. DFDS anticipates that the ferry will resume operations in the first half of April, as recent developments are more promising than initially expected. The vessel 'MSC Madrid' is currently undergoing maintenance at Antwerp Ship Repair. Collaboration among all stakeholders has facilitated a swift agreement on the necessary repairs with Fayard. If all goes smoothly, successful repairs will see the 'Primula Seaways' returning to service by early April, thanks to the efficient efforts from insurance firms, the crew, maritime authorities, and DFDS personnel. In the meantime, DFDS has secured the ro-ro ship 'Neptune Dynamis' (IMO: 9240976) as a temporary solution to maintain operational capabilities. For additional insights and visuals, refer to the Danish report and accompanying photos: https://maritimedanmark.dk/?Id=37708 https://f.nordiskemedier.dk/272hxetm37zm1vnb.jpg.