Reviews & Ratings for the Excalibur

On March 25 at 1:00 AM, the tugboat "André B" (IMO: 9451252) and its partner vessel, the 2361 GT "Excalibur," successfully docked at Montoir de Bretagne in St. Nazaire. This arrival follows the drop-off of the damaged legs of the "Excalibur" from Belle Isle. Following the docking, authorities in St. Nazaire will conduct necessary inspections and reports. The recovery of the legs, which were located at a depth of 60 meters, is set to be undertaken by Seacore Truro.

On March 22, 2023, at 1:55 p.m., the Dutch tug "André B" (IMO: 9451252) departed from the picturesque Glénan archipelago, towing the jack-up barge "Excalibur." Earlier that day, around 10:00 a.m., the maritime prefect for the Atlantic region had ordered a team to inspect the tug's tow rig and propulsion system. Fortunately, the tug was found to be in good condition, and at 1 p.m., the maritime prefect approved the continued voyage of the convoy. However, during the assessment, it was discovered that four out of the eight supporting pillars on the jack-up barge were damaged and unable to be fully raised, with one pillar's draft measuring an impressive 24 meters. Consequently, authorities instructed the barge to drop its pillars south of Belle-Île, in water that was 60 meters deep. Following the safe drop of the pillars, the convoy will proceed to Saint-Nazaire for repairs. In the days ahead, the responsibility for recovering the dropped pillars in the designated area will fall to the barge owner. The convoy is anticipated to reach Belle-Île on March 23, setting the stage for the next steps in this maritime operation.

On March 21, 2013, at 2:30 p.m., the CROSS Etel received an urgent alert from the Dutch tug 'André B' (IMO: 9451252), which was towing the jack-up rig 'Excalibur' and encountered significant difficulties south of the Glénan archipelago. The rig, carrying seven crew members, had departed from Ijmuiden with a convoy that set sail on March 17 at approximately 3 p.m. Its destination was St. Nazaire, with an estimated time of arrival scheduled for March 21 at 1 p.m. However, adverse weather conditions featuring winds at 35 km/h, turbulent seas, and strong swells caused the convoy to drift northward as conditions worsened. In response to the emergency, CROSS Etel dispatched the salvage tug 'Abeille Bourbon' (IMO: 9308687), a Cayman helicopter from the French Navy stationed in Lanvéoc, along with a police boat from Concarneau. Additionally, three local fishing vessels joined the search and rescue efforts. By 3:30 p.m., rescuers located the barge approximately one nautical mile off Glénan, where it successfully deployed its eight legs, each 30 meters long, ensuring it settled onto the seabed and ceased drifting. With the situation stabilized, a rescue swimmer was airlifted onto the barge via the Cayman helicopter, while the 'Abeille Bourbon' stayed in the vicinity to lend its expertise. The convoy is anticipated to continue its journey once the weather improves and as per the directives of the maritime prefecture. The 'Abeille Bourbon' returned to Brest on March 22 at 2:30 p.m. For photos and more information, visit: http://www.premar-atlantique.gouv.fr/galeries/barge-Excalibur