Launkalnem

The "Flinter America", which had been towed into the port of Rotterdam on Jan 25, left the Waal Port again on Feb 20 after repairs and headed for Sillamae as first port of call after repairs.

On Jan 25 at 4.10 p.m. the British tug "MTS Victory" (IMO: 7510626), with the "Flinter America" in tow reached the port of Rotterdam. On the Maas the convoy was assisted by the tug "Tyfoon" from Sliedrecht as stern tug. The cargo vessel was berthed at the Noordpijp in the Northern Waal Port. Photos: http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2399117 http://www.tugspotters.com/site/content/2016/01/mts-victory-met-flinter-america-2/ http://www.tugspotters.com/site/content/2016/01/mts-victory-met-flinter-america/

On Jan 21, 2016, around noon the crew of the "Flinter America" remarked smoke development in the engine room while transiting the traffic separation scheme of Casquet. The unloaded vessel, being from Djen Djen to Rotterdam, became unmanoeverable and went adrift off the island of Alderney and 30 miles from La Hague. The crew alerted the Maritime Operations Centre of the maritime prefecture of the English Channel and the North Sea, and the CROSS Jobourg ordered the emergency tug "Abeille Liberté" to the site, which was already at sea to assist the vessel. Meanwhile, a team of experts of the marine brigade and other experts, met to assess the situation. Around 12:40 p.m, an investigation team, reinforced by seven members of the marine brigade, took off aboard an EC 225 helicopter of the Navy base in Maupertus, equipped with 400 kg of material. At 1 p.m. the "Abeille Liberté" went on standby near the "Flinter America". Minutes later, the response team arrived and was hoisted aboard. They found out that none of the 12 crew members were injured or intoxicated. The fire was already under control although several hot spots were remaining, especially on the upper deck. The marine brigade started to cool the spots and monitored the viability of the air, while the assessment team found out that the cause of the accident was a ruptured diesel fuel pipe which had set the engine room alight. At 3:30 p.m. the crew of the "Flinter America" was trying to start the auxiliary generators. Despite several attempts, the ship did not regain propulsion and still presented a hazard to navigation. Upon this, the maritime prefect decided by late afternoon, that the "Abeille Liberté" should tow the casualty to Cherbourg. where it was anchored off the port. The intervention teams of the Navy were taken aboard the helicopter again in the early evening. A tug chartered by the shipowner should tow it to Rotterdam. On Jan 22 the British tug "MTS Victory" (IMO: 7510626), was deployed to the vessel. French reports with photos: http://www.lamanchelibre.fr/actualite-132822-avarie-et-debut-incendie-a-bord-un-cargo-en-manche.html http://www.normandie-actu.fr/un-cargo-en-difficulte-dans-la-manche-vaste-operation-d-assistance_177140/