Sakura-Advance

While the tanker "Front Altair' (IMO: 9745902), was moored off Fujairah in the morning of June 17 by the tugs "E-Two". "Aquila" and "Boka Alpine" in pos. 25° 3.95' N 056° 34.95' E, the "Kokuka Courageous" was moored on Fujairah anchorage in pos. 25° 4.13' N 056° 29.87' E, being assisted by the tug "Al Wahsh" on June 16. The "Kokuka Courageous" carried out a two port loads in Mesaieed, Qatar and Jubail Saudi Arabia, and was bound towards Singapore with its methanol cargo. The tanker departed Jubail on June 10 at 7 a.m. and crossed the Strait of Hormuz at 9 p.m. on June 12. It was seen stopped at 6:20 a.m. on June 13, about 80 nautical miles east of Fujairah having suffered a breach of the hull above the water line on the starboard side as a result of a suspected attack. The ship was hit twice over a three-hour period. The tug "Coastal Ace" picked up the all-Filipino 21 crew. Report with photos: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9317743/us-troops-to-middle-amid-rising-tensions-with-iran-after-tanker-attacks/

Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. (Boskalis) has been appointed as the salvor for both tankers that were hit in the Gulf of Oman in a suspected attack. Shortly after the incidents the insurers of both vessels appointed Boskalis subsidiary SMIT Salvage to salvage the vessels and their cargo. The Kokuka Courageous with a methanol cargo on board is now in a stable condition. Here too the crew was able to safely leave the vessel after which the ship was stabilized. A towing connection was successfully established yesterday afternoon and the crew was able to return to the vessel. The vessel is currently being towed to a port in the Gulf region. The salvage operations are being carried out in close consultation with the relevant local authorities, including the Marine Emergency Mutual Aid Center (MEMAC).

The 21 crew members of the "Kokuka Courageous" reboarded the ship on June 14. It had suffered two impacts, one at the aft, one amidships. A fire in the engine room had been contained soon after with CO2. The crew had initially been taken aboard the Dutch tug "Coastal Ace" (IMO: 9645554), en route from Singapore to Al Hamriya. They were then transferred aboard the "Naji 10" and taken to Bandar Abbas. Another tug in the vicinity, the Bahamas flagged "E Two" (IMO: 9831115), en route from India to Fujairah, turned to the "Front Altair". The "Coastal Ace" continued to assist the "Kokuka Courageous" along with the UAE flagged tug "Al Washs" (IMO: 8017190). The tanker crew re-boarded their ship which was now towed to Khor Fakkan. The USA published a gritty video which, according to the US Department of Defense, supports the accusations against Iran. The video was supposed to show the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in the process of removing an unexploded magnetic mine from the ship. The video was said to be recorded by an American surveillance aircraft, but whether it showed what the Americans claimed was impossible to determine. Report with photo and video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vRVxPfagOA https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/trumps-praesidentschaft/golf-von-oman-usa-will-beweise-fuer-teherans-beteiligung-haben-16236093.html