The Fairplay-66: Crew Feedback and Vessel Data

On January 28, 2023, the barge "Seeponton 1" (IMO: 9364497), measuring 2473 gt, finally completed its journey to Papenburg after a notable collision with the Gibraltar-flagged tanker m/v "Kösterberg" (IMO: 9184677). The "Kösterberg" is currently undergoing repairs at the Norder Yard Hamburg, addressing the damage sustained to its bow during the incident. The barge was towed by the tug "Wal," which also incurred hull damage in the collision and has since been docked at Emden's Ems Quay. The departure from Emden occurred at 9:50 a.m. and, with the assistance of the tug "Finn" from ESB, "Seeponton 1" reached its destination at around 2 p.m. A visual report of the scene can be found in a Dutch photo article at http://www.tugspotters.com/site/content/2013/01/vandaag-gezien-te-papenburg/

On January 25, 2013, in the early hours, the Gibraltar-flagged tanker m/v "Kösterberg" (IMO: 9184677), carrying 2,500 tons of heavy fuel, was involved in a collision with the barge "Seeponton 1" (IMO: 9364497) while navigating through dense fog on the Ems River. The incident occurred as the "Kösterberg" was making its way from Hamburg to Emden to offload its cargo. At a point near Eemshaven, the tanker attempted to navigate past the tugboat "Wal," which was towing the barge from Bremerhaven to Papenburg. The result was a dent, extending over five meters along the port side of the tanker, while the starboard side of the "Seeponton 1" also sustained damage, both above the waterline. Following the collision, local authorities initiated an investigation into the matter, particularly focusing on the actions of the Polish captain of the "Kösterberg," who was operating under the assistance of a pilot at the time. The captain faced a safety infringement fine of €7,000 due to the incident. Upon arrival in Emden at 8:45 a.m., the "Kösterberg" was promptly detained for further examination, while the "Wal" docked at the Ems Quay in Emden shortly after at around 9:00 a.m. More details can be found in the accompanying photo report: http://forum-schiff.de/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=23#p84821.

On February 11, 2012, an intriguing maritime event unfolded when the starboard anchor of the tug 'Wal' became snagged with another anchor while conducting operations near Falmouth. The 'Wal' was in the process of bringing two crew members aboard the jack-up vessel 'Odin' when the unexpected incident occurred. In response, the captain of the 'Wal' requested assistance from the 'Odin,' which utilized its powerful 300-ton Liebherr crane to lift what is now referred to as the 'third anchor.' This anchor had likely been lost at sea several decades prior, as only minimal remnants of iron remained attached to it. After the successful recovery operation, the anchor was transported to Milford Haven, where it was officially landed on February 17.