Working Conditions Aboard the Martha-A

On December 21, 2014, the salvage vessel 'Jula S' embarked on a mission to recover the remains of the Volvo Ocean Racing yacht, 'Vestas Wind'. After an arduous operation, the 'Jula S' is now en route to Port Louis, with an estimated arrival date of January 1, 2015. The salvage operation was a collaborative effort between Subtech and Svitzer, featuring a skilled team comprised of Neil Scott-Williams, Morgan Castle, and Morne Uys from Subtech, along with Mike Smith and Rob Hare, seasoned salvors from Svitzer, who were deployed from South Africa under a Bimco Wreckhire agreement. They successfully refloated and retrieved the 'Vestas Wind' from the Cargados Carajos Shoal, located 250 nautical miles north of Mauritius. Major sponsorship from Maersk facilitated a critical course diversion for the 'Jula S' to meet the salvage crew during a narrow window of opportunity on the afternoon of December 21. The team had just 2.5 days to inspect the yacht, devise a salvage strategy, and execute the plan to ensure 'Team Vestas Wind' could re-enter the competition. Despite initial concerns about navigating without charts in the area, the captain of 'Jula S' received invaluable assistance from Rogar Addisson, the captain of the 'Gryphon', an experienced ex-Mauritian pilot familiar with the Cargados Carajos Shoal. This allowed the 'Jula S' to approach within one mile of the 'Gryphon', thus simplifying the operation. Once anchored, the 'Vestas Wind' was swiftly towed and secured aboard the 'Jula S', which departed only 15 minutes behind schedule—demonstrating the seamless coordination of all involved parties. For more details and to view photographs, visit the report at http://www.news.sail-world.com/Volvo_Ocean_Race__Team_Vestas_Wind_images_from_the_reef_recovery/130096.

In a maritime incident that occurred on July 24, 2010, at 6:30 a.m., the cargo ship 'Jula S.' was involved in a collision with the Korean vessel 'Zenith Winner' as it navigated the waters of Tianjin Road, China, en route to Daesan. Tragically, the 'Zenith Winner' succumbed to the impact and sank. A remarkable rescue operation ensued, with a total of 10 vessels engaged in the efforts, including the 'Jula S.' Thankfully, all 10 crew members aboard the 'Zenith Winner' were rescued without any injuries reported. Fortunately, the collision did not disrupt traffic on either the road or in the port.