Working Conditions Aboard the Mt-Narcea

On April 13, 2016, the tanker 'Narcea' was stopped by the water police in Brunsbüttel while navigating the Kiel Canal locks, en route from Szczecin to Aviles. During the inspection, authorities discovered that the vessel was over its permissible load limit, with a draught exceeding the allowed specifications by 3.9 centimeters, equivalent to approximately 49,725 tons of cargo. As a result, the ship's master was fined for safety violations, and the vessel was detained in the Neufeld roads. To rectify the draught issue, 35 tons of ballast water and 15 tons of drinking water were subsequently pumped off. In light of the incident, the police have initiated an investigation into the master's actions.

On May 27, 2012, at approximately 1 p.m., the tanker "Narcéa," en route from Rotterdam to Leixões, responded to a distress call from the Dutch 5-meter yacht "Le Pélican." The yacht, with a crew of two, was stranded 118 miles south of Penmarc'h due to a damaged rudder and malfunctioning engine amid challenging weather conditions. Despite the tanker’s efforts to assist and evacuate the crew, the severe 6-7 Beaufort wind made deploying a rescue boat impossible. In light of the perilous circumstances, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) dispatched an EC 225 Navy helicopter, which successfully hoisted the crew members and transported them to Air Base Lanvéoc-Poulmic for safety. For images of the operation, visit: http://www.premar-atlantique.gouv.fr/galeries/Le-P%E9lican.