Discover the Spirit: Ratings & Maritime News

On the evening of January 5, 2012, the freighter 'Hanse Spirit' encountered serious engine troubles while sailing from Szczecin towards the North Sea. At 8:37 PM, the main engine failed, causing the vessel to run aground on the Scharhoern Reef. Efforts to anchor the ship were initiated within minutes, but strong winds of 9 Beaufort resulted in the ship drifting uncontrollably. By 9 PM, 'Hanse Spirit' had grounded south of buoy 3. The maritime rescue operation began promptly, with the lifeboat 'Hermann Helms' departing from Cuxhaven and reaching the scene at 11:30 PM. Shortly thereafter, at 11:44 PM, the multipurpose vessel 'Neuwerk' arrived after making its way from a storm position near Helgoland. Demonstrating remarkable efficiency, the 'Neuwerk' successfully established a tow connection after two attempts, positioning itself 50 meters from the bow of 'Hanse Spirit' with the ship's bow facing into the wind. Approximately two hours later, 'Hanse Spirit' had lifted both anchors, allowing the tug 'Wulf 7' to connect at the stern. At 1 AM on January 6, the tow commenced towards Cuxhaven, with the tug 'Stevns Arctic' also joining the convoy. After safely arriving in Cuxhaven, the vessel was moored at Steubenhoeft by 5:15 AM. Following inspections and engine repairs, the 'Hanse Spirit' confidently set sail for Rotterdam at 3:30 PM the same day. For more details and photographs, check the German report here: http://www.cn-online.de/lokales/news/richtig-guten-job-gemacht.html?tx_ttnewsextender%5BimgIndex%5D=0&cHash=77e46d183384e99257d8a750da623542.