Crew Reviews, Ratings & Info for Mercosul-Santos

On the morning of April 25, 2021, the container ship 'Mercosul Santos' made its way into the Port of Santos under tow, following engine difficulties during its journey carrying 1,025 containers. Fortunately, the vessel was effectively escorted by four port tugs in the early afternoon and guided to the Dubai Ports World (DPW) Santos terminal located in the Santos Continental Area. By 3:40 p.m., 'Mercosul Santos' successfully docked at berth 1. The unloading of cargo is expected to conclude by midday on April 26. Subsequent repairs for the ship will be conducted at the Giusfredo Santini Passenger Terminal. For further details and images, visit https://www.atribuna.com.br/noticias/portomar/navio-conteineiro-chega-rebocado-ao-porto-de-santos-neste-domingo.

A tragic maritime incident on the Amazon River near Óbidos, Pará, has led to serious allegations against two crew members. On August 2, 2017, a collision occurred between a pusher tug operated by Bertolini and the vessel "Mercosul Santos," resulting in the deaths of nine out of the 11 crew members onboard the tug. Following an extensive five-month investigation, the Pará Civil Police have indicted Raimundo Cruz, the immediate subordinate to the commander, and flotilla pilot Flávio Lins Barbosa for their roles in the accident. The inquiry revealed that a failure to abide by navigation rules was pivotal in causing the collision. Critical evidence included testimonies and audio recordings from the ship's data recording system, which indicated a troubling lack of communication between the two vessels leading up to the crash. As a result, the two crew members face charges linked to violations of maritime and fluvial navigation laws, with potential prison sentences reaching up to 12 years. The investigation's findings have now been forwarded to the State Public Prosecutor's Office of Pará. Following the incident, on December 5, recovery efforts successfully located and retrieved the bodies of the missing crew members from the riverbed.

After enduring over three months underwater, the pusher tug 'CXX' belonging to Bertolini Transportes is set to be raised following a tragic collision with the container ship 'Mercosul Santos' on August 2, near Óbidos in Pará. On November 14, the sheerleg crane 'Taklift 7' accompanied by the 'Smitbarge 8' arrived at the site to commence salvage operations. Out of the 11 individuals onboard during the incident, only two survived—both crew members who managed to escape before the tug sank and were rescued by the vessel 'César da Silva'. The victims included six from Pará, two from Amazonas, and one from São Paulo who remain missing. To facilitate the recovery, Smit Salvage has been engaged for this intricate operation. The sheerleg arrived in Brazil on November 6, marking the initial phase of recovery efforts, which also included sonar inspections and buoy installations. The forthcoming phase will involve placing a protective net over the wreck to prevent the loss of any objects within. Once stabilized, the wreck will be elevated using a hydraulic claw, after which a thorough search will be conducted for the missing individuals. Should any bodies be located, they will be transported to the Centro de Perícias Renato Chaves in Santarém. The crane disassembly is anticipated to take place shortly after the lifting operation is concluded, expected by early December.