Emergency salvage responders have had a busy autumn with 10 Lloyd’s Open Form (LOF) contracts reported in the past two months.
Among the casualties were two product tankers that in separate incidents grounded in the River Scheldt. The 107,000-dwt Maria Bottiglieri (built 2012) grounded on 26 October. An LOF contract was immediately awarded to Dutch salvor Multraship Towage & Salvage and Belgium’s URS.
In ballast
A few days earlier on 20 October, the 40,600-dwt Seatrout (built 2006) also grounded while in ballast in the Western Scheldt.
The grounding came after a collision with the 68,000-dwt bulk carrier Unsolie (built 1990). Multraship and URS were again awarded the LOF.
Both the Sea Trout and Maria Bottiglieri were successfully refloated.
In other LOF awards, the 76,000-dwt bulk carrier Tina (built 2000) had engine breakdown off South Africa and had to be towed to Durban by Five Oceans Salvage.
The same salvage company also came to the aid of the 75,000-dwt bulker Majorca (built 2005), which grounded off Papua New Guinea.
LOF award
The 77,000-dwt bulker Glory Amsterdam (built 2006) grounded off Langeoog, Germany, on 30 October, with Smit Salvage getting the LOF award.
So far this year, 49 LOFs have been awarded. Topping 50 awards this year would mean considerable growth on 2016 when 42 awards were reported.
The uptick in awards will be welcomed by emergency response salvage companies.
LOF contracts for emergency responses have been in long-term decline, with 2014 marking the lowest year to date with just 37 awards.
