Hansa Brandenburg: another container ship riddled with Problems
On July 15th 2013 a fire broke out onboard the Hansa Brandenburg (IMO 9236236), a container ship 176 m in length with a capacity of 1,740 TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) operating under the Liberian flag. The ship was sailing from Singapore to Durban (South Africa) and was located 200 miles off the coast of Mauritius. The crew of 17 was unable to extinguish the fire that continued to spread. Another container ship, the Donau Trader, deviated to rescue the crew and bring them safely to Port Louis in Mauritius. The burning ship drifted for several days until the fire was brought under control by Five Oceans Salvage and Smit Salvage on July 19th. The Hansa Brandenburg was towed towards Port Louis after permission was granted for assessment and potential repairs to be carried out.
The end of the Probo Koala
The Hua Wen, ex-Probo Koala is going to be demolished in the coming weeks in China. From August 2006 on, the scattering in Abidjan of desulphurization waste containing mercaptan and hydrogen sulphide has provoked a panic and the paralysis of Ivory Coast business capital. 16 fatalities were officially reported; the victims had been exposed to the toxic emanations. The toxic and stinky waste which had been unloaded from the Probo Koala slop tanks had illegally left Amsterdam and Tallinn, two North European ports (1).
