Reviews & Ratings for the Sig

The towing operation for the 'Sig', a damaged tanker, commenced on August 8, with the Russian tug 'Konevets Barabulka' facilitating the journey to Aksay port in Rostov-on-Don for necessary repairs. A specialized team from the Azovo-Chernomorsky branch of the Marine Rescue Service was on board, equipped with sump pumps and oil spill response (OSR) gear, as well as a stock of sorbent materials. This dedicated rescue team actively worked to extract oil-water emulsion from the engine room into the vessel’s tanks, while an emergency group from the AChF MCC focused on cleaning the engine room using biosorbents. So far, a total of 756 kilograms of biosorbents have been deployed during the response efforts. Notably, there have been no signs of water contamination reported. For those interested in the visuals of the damage inflicted on the tanker, a video report can be found at: https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/damage-to-russian-tanker-from-ukrainian-drone-boat-seen-in-video.

On August 5, the tanker 'Sig' sustained damage when a marine drone collided with it near the coordinates 45 01 06 N, 036 31 40 E, approximately 30 nautical miles south of the Kerch Strait. Following the incident, efforts to prepare the vessel for towing to a shipyard commenced promptly. On August 7, at 10 a.m. Moscow time, a patch was deployed at the site of the breach, and an additional boom was strategically installed around the engine room area. Throughout the day, the patch was securely affixed by welding techniques. By the morning of August 8, remediation efforts included treating the inner contour of the boom with a biosorbent, totaling 546 kilograms applied in the water area. Concurrently, teams worked diligently to collect oil and residual slicks from the engine room, successfully extracting 55 cubic meters of an oil-water emulsion. The salvage operation continued with the assistance of tugs 'Merkuriy', 'Impuls', and 'Vodolaz Kuzminykh' from the Azovo-Chernomorsky branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution Morspasluzhba, as they played a crucial role in the ongoing recovery efforts to restore the tanker 'Sig'.

On August 4, 2023, at approximately 10:30 p.m., the Russian tanker 'Sig' suffered damage from Ukrainian marine drones. The vessel was struck on the starboard side at the waterline, near the engine room, situated around 30 nautical miles south of the Kerch Strait, specifically at coordinates 45 01 06 N, 036 31 40 E. Despite the attack, which involved 11 crew members onboard, there were no reported casualties, and the tanker remained afloat. The crew swiftly initiated procedures to manage flooding in the engine room. In response to the incident, the Russian tug 'Merkuriy' and the research vessel 'Impuls', both under the Russian flag, were dispatched to offer assistance. With the tug alongside, the crew successfully controlled the water ingress. Preparations were made to pump out water from the vessel's stern ballast tanks and to install a patch. Additionally, oil booms were deployed to mitigate any potential environmental impact. It's noteworthy that the 'Sig' had previously transported aviation fuel from Crimea to Syria and is listed under U.S. sanctions. For more insights, viewers can watch the coverage [here](https://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2023/08/05/russian-tanker-ukraine-sea-drone-attack-leighton-acostanr-vpx.cnn).