The towage operation was preceeded by complex preparation to drain the tanker's cargo and ensure a safe transit.
The tugboat BARAKA as well as three other SCA tugboats took part in the towage operation and safekeeping of the tanker.
Adm. Ossama Rabiee, Chairman and Managing Director of the Suez Canal Authority, has announced today the success of the towage operation of the oil tanker SOUNION by four SCA tugboats on it transit through the Canal amongst vessels of the southern convoy; heading from the Red Sea to Greece.
The vessel, sailing under the flag of Greece, is 274 m. in length, has a beam of 50 m. and a draft of 31 ft.
H.E. has explained that preparations for the towage operation entailed taking complex measures over the past months to drain the cargo of the tanker; 150 thousand tons of crude oil, before allowing it to transit through the Canal. That is due to the dangerous status in which the tanker was after it sustained an attack in the Red Sea last August that led to a massive fire in the bridge, the engine room and accommodation cabins. It also resulted in the tanker's control equipment breaking down which made navigating it very difficult with the increasing risk of pollution, oil spill or explosion.
Adm. Rabiee has added that the cargo drainage operation in the Suez anchorage area has been carried out under complex procedures by the salvage companies AMBERY and MEGA TUGS that were assigned by the tanker's owners. Both companies worked as per a joint work plan in cooperation with and under the complete supervision of the SCA's maritime salvage team to drain the tanker's cargo into another similar tanker according to precise drainage rates and calculations to prevent any damage or split in the tanker's hull.
H.E. has unveiled the efforts of the SCA's central pollution combating committee in following-up the cargo drainage works and ensuring the execution of the procedures taken by the two salvage companies to make sure no leakage or pollution occurs in the outer perimeter of the tanker. That is in addition to increasing the level of readiness in case support and assistance were needed during the tanker's towage operation within the waterway through the deployment of the SCA's pollution combat boat KASHET 2.
Admiral Rabiee stated that the tanker SOUNION transited the Canal towed by the escorting salvage tug AIGAION PELAGOS. The vessel was piloted by the Authority’s largest tug, Baraka, of a bollard pull capacity of 160 tons. Three tugboats, tugboat Mohamed Beshir and tugboat Suez 1, secured the vessel from both sides, while tugboat Suez 2 acted as a rudder astern.
H.E. further explained that the towage operation lasted approximately 24 hours and 13 pilots participated in the process in the Anchorage areas and the Canal. The operation was executed in multiple phases, with waiting periods and pilot changes. The tanker was initially towed from the Suez anchorage on Saturday evening, proceeding to the Great Bitter Lakes waiting area, and waited the transit of both the northbound and southbound convoys and the completion of pilots change before resuming the towage operation till Ballah area where another change of pilots took place, before towing it to Port Said, with continuous monitoring from the Navigation Control Center and the network of pilotage stations positioned along the canal.
The Chairman of the Suez Canal Authority emphasized the Canal’s readiness to handle specialized and unconventional transits through an integrated system comprising highly trained personnel and advanced technical and tangible resources, part of which is carrying out a full-scale simulation for such a transit operation at the Maritime Training and Simulation Academy to ensure success.
Additionally, the Authority provides a comprehensive bundle of maritime and navigational services, tailored to meet customer needs under both normal and emergency conditions as per international measures and standards and the principle of safety first to ensure safe transit and maintain the Canal’s safety.
On his part, Captain Lars Tesmar, Senior Consultant at Brand Marine Consultant, a company specializing in maritime salvage operations, stressed that the process of cargo discharge was a highly complex one, requiring meticulous calculations and coordination with multiple parties. He praised the cooperation received from the Authority’s salvage team and their extensive experience in this field, which enabled them to streamline operations and meet all requirements for the safe towage of the tanker through the Canal, thanking the Suez Canal Authority and each and everyone who participated in this successful operation.
