Working Conditions Aboard the Vechtborg

On September 19, 2019, at 07:50 a.m. UTC, the bulk carrier 'Vechtborg', sailing from Haraholmen to Casablanca, encountered a technical issue when a hose in the engine room began to leak. This incident necessitated a temporary halt of the engine for approximately 30 minutes at coordinates 050 56 00.0 N, 001 11 00.0 E. Following the emergency stop, the vessel navigated to the in-shore traffic zone to undertake necessary repairs. Once the hose issue was resolved, 'Vechtborg' was back in operation and has since updated its estimated time of arrival (ETA) in Casablanca to September 24.

On November 8, divers conducted a thorough inspection of the hull of the 'Vechtborg' while docked in the Skagen port, revealing extensive damage that has rendered the vessel unable to sail. The assessment showed that the outer hull had been punctured, necessitating immediate attention. Meanwhile, on the same day, the 'Gunnar Seidenfaden' was cleared from ship monitoring due to the absence of damage to its oil tanks, despite sustaining significant harm to its ballast tanks. Plans are being made to transfer the cargo from 'Gunnar Seidenfaden' onto another vessel before repairs begin. Following the incident, the bunker tanker 'Gaia Nordic' (IMO: 9614593) arrived on site and successfully docked. Subsequently, it departed Skagen, making its way to basin 5 in Grenaa on November 11 at around 5 p.m., where it moored alongside the 'Vaasaborg' (IMO: 9196242). Fortunately, the pier in Skagen remains undamaged. After the necessary repairs, the 'Vechtborg' left Grenaa on November 28 at 2 p.m., setting course for Gdynia, with an estimated time of arrival on November 30.

In the early hours of November 6, 2016, the cargo vessel 'Vechtborg', which had just arrived at Skagen from Lovisa, experienced a collision with a quay at the Skagen port. Following the incident, the ship was anchored south of the port, awaiting a thorough inspection by divers. The vessel, which was empty at the time, had been secured at the dock. However, due to adverse weather conditions, with strong winds influencing the area, authorities opted to tow it out of the port. During this towing maneuver around 12:45 a.m., one of the towing ropes snapped, leading to the allision with the quay. Subsequently, the decision was made to guide the 'Vechtborg' to a safer position south of Skagen. To address any environmental concerns, the response vessel 'Gunnar Thorson' was dispatched to the location, but thankfully, no spills or environmental hazards were reported.