Vikingfjord

The "Vikingfjord" suffered a power reduction due to a faulty connection between the engine and turbo on Dec 7, 2018, at 2.30 p.m. in pos. 53 52.476 N, 001 01.481 E, 34 miles from Spurn Point and had a restricted manoeuvrability. The ship's agent, the Carlbom Shipping, asked the tug "Ems Boxer" (MMSI: 235118442) to assist, but it was unable to complete the task and had to return to Great Yarmouth. Instead, the tug "Ems Defender" (IMO: 6708604)was tasked to assist on Dec 9 at 9.15 a.m. from Great Yarmouth with an ETA of Dec 10 at midnight, in order to tow the tender to Grimsby. The ship entered Grimsby Royal Dock on Dec 11.

The "Vikingfjord" was in need of assistance on Mar 8, 2017, after an engine failure in gale force western winds on the Northsea The ship was enroute from Mongstad to Fonnes. The "Bergen" of the Norwegian Coastguard was alerted at 5 a.m. in order to take the ship in tow. She was 50 miles south of the casualty on guard. It forced its way through the storm and reached the "Vikingfjord" at 9 a.m. Also the standby vessel "Ocean Response" had meanwhile arrived and already taken the "Vikingfjord" in tow. But the towing wire broke after a short time, and the weather turned into a SW sotrm with gusts of up to 30 meters per second. The crew of the "Bergen" had already rigged its towage gear upon arrival on site. In the second attempt they managed to establish a towing connection despite of wave heights of 6-8 meters after the wire initially had broken short time after having been transferred aboard the "Vikingfjord". After some adjustments the ships had connected at 11.40 a.m., and the "Bergen" started to pull the casualty with slow speed towards Marstein lighthouse. On Mar 9 at 10 a.m. the "Bergen" berthed at Haakonsvern, while the "Vikingfjord" was taken over by the tug "Sjøbas" and pulled southwards in the Kors Fjord. The "Vikingfjord" was safely berthed in the port of Rubbestadneset around 11 p.m. Norwegian report with photos: http://sysla.no/2017/03/09/maritim/vikingfjord-drev-i-6-timer-for-kv-bergen-fikk-festet-slepet_194922/