On 27 February 2017, Tsavliris dispatched the salvage tug “MICHELE FOSS” (7,270 BHP – 110 TBP) from Seattle, USA, to the assistance of Bulk Carrier “ECOFAITH G.O.” (GT 44,647 – DWT 81,883). The vessel was immobilised due to intermediate shaft breakage, resulting in the shifting of the same and causing water ingress into the engine room. The accident occurred about 214 miles from Kodiak island, Alaska and about 660 miles from Prince Rupert, Canada. During the incident the vessel was in ballast condition on passage from China to Prince Rupert via South Korea.

Due to adverse weather conditions, the salvage tug “MICHELE FOSS” arrived at the casualty’s position on 4 March and managed to establish tow connection on 5 March. All necessary arrangements had been made, prior to the tug’s arrival, by Tsavliris’ partners/subcontractors Messrs “RESOLVE Marine” and the appointed agents Messrs “ALASKA MARITIME AGENCIES”, for the convoy to proceed to Dutch Harbor for emergency attendance and underwater inspection before proceeding on the second leg of the towage to China for permanent repairs.

The Tsavliris salvage team, consisting of a senior salvage master/naval architect and a senior salvage engineer, was mobilised from Greece to Dutch Harbour. Prior to the towage commencement and under the salvor’s directions, the tail shaft was lashed/secured to avoid turning/moving and to minimise the water ingress.

On 9 March, the salvor’s salvage team and the subcontractor’s salvage team, boarded the tug “RESOLVE PIONEER” stationed at Dutch Harbour in order to inspect the casualty as per the USCG requirements.

On 10 March, the tug arrived at the rendezvous position with the convoy. It was verified that there was neither water pumping out activity nor any oil pollutant traces. On 11 March, the convoy, escorted by the tug, safely arrived at Board Bay and the vessel connected/moored to the emergency mooring buoy with the assistance of two port tugs and one mooring boat. The senior salvage master and the senior salvage engineer boarded the vessel and inspected the engine room. It was verified that all temporary repairs and lashings had been carried out properly by the crew under the salvor’s directions: the shafting system was fixed in position and the water ingress was stable at the rate reported by the vessel during the towage. In the meantime the divers started plugging and sealing the stern tube, whilst technicians took measurements for prefabrication of steel plates and stiffeners in order to secure the shafting system in place.

On 14 March, the “ECOFAITH G.O.” with the assistance of port tugs and a pilot, was shifted and moored alongside. Upon completion of berthing, all equipment and materials were transferred onboard, the temporary repairs at the shafting system commenced, while the divers’ team continued with the stern tube sealing. On 15 March, all temporary repairs were completed successfully. Ballasting of the vessel was carried out in order to verify the stern tube tightness and preparations for fitting the towing bracket on the forecastle commenced.

On 19 March, all welding/reinforcement and arrangements for the onward towage to China were completed, salvage services were terminated and the vessel was delivered to her Owners. The vessel sailed to Zhoushan, China under tow by the S/T “ALP STRIKER” for permanent repairs.

Container Vessel “EFENDI BABA”

On 5 February, Tsavliris dispatched the AHT “MTS VIGILANT” (3,300 BHP – 48 TBP) from Cartagena, Spain, to the assistance of the container vessel “EFENDI BABA” (GT 4,984 – DWT 7,014), laden with about 6,335 MT of steel products. The vessel was immobilised due to main engine problems NE off Tenes, Algeria.

Due to adverse weather conditions (7-8 Beaufort) and strong currents, the vessel drifted very close to the coast. On 6 February the Master lowered the port anchor which touched the bottom resulting in the reduction of drift and the stalling of grounding. Later in the day the AHT “MTS VIGILANT” arrived at the casualty’s position, the towline was connected and towage commenced towards international waters.

The Algerian coast guard vessel “No. 701-AL MUNJID” was on standby near the vessel, monitoring the situation, in order to verify the arrival of the tug.

Instructions were received from the Owners for the convoy to proceed to Malaga, Spain.

On 9 February the convoy arrived safely at Malaga anchorage and the salvors arranged for the tow to be delivered to port tugs. The vessel berthed alongside with the assistance of port tugs and a pilot. The salvage services were successfully terminated and the AHT “MTS VIGILANT” was demobilised.

EVENTS

-Tsavliris Group celebrated their traditional New Year’s “Pita Cutting” event on 11 January 2017. The occasion included the annual blessing and was attended by all the office staff, tug crew members and Tsavliris family members.

This year Mrs Maria Papageorgiou (Accounts Department) was honoured with a special award for her 28 years of loyal service to the Group. The two “lucky charms” in the pita fell to the S/T “TSAVLIRIS HELLAS” and Mr Stavros Perdikaris (Financial Director).

Tsavliris recently participated in numerous leading shipping community events:

-The present and the future of shipping were discussed by the sector’s top players during the third annual Naftemporiki Shipping Conference on 19 January 2017. The successful event took place at the Athens Concert Hall. George Tsavliris (Tsavliris Group) participated in the first panel of the conference together with Emanuele Grimaldi (Grimaldi Group), Panos Laskaridis (Laskaridis Shipping / ECSA), Anastasios Papagiannopoulos (Common Progress / BIMCO), Efthimios E. Mitropoulos (KCMG / IMO / “Maria Tsakos” Foundation). The panel focused on the issue of retaining European shipping’s competitiveness and implementing IMO regulations.

-Andreas Tsavliris gave his annual lecture at the City University London to over 130 master’s degree students on 30 January 2017. The presentation was on “Shipping Trade & Finance” and the topics discussed included the ordering of new buildings, buying and selling second hand vessels, chartering, insurance, banking, financing and currencies. Moreover, Andreas Tsavliris took the opportunity to emphasize the importance and necessity of a global commercial salvage industry. The lecture lasted over 4 hours and allowed questions and interaction from the students.

-The 16th International Protection & Indemnity (P&I) Clubs Conference took place in Athens on 2 February at the Piraeus Marine Club. George Tsavliris participated as a speaker in the debated topic “The clubs are not doing enough to combat the relentlessly onerous imposition of new environmental regulations on ship owners, most recently, for example, in relation to engine exhaust emissions and ballast water management systems.” George Tsavliris underlined that the IMO’s position is threatened by US and European Union regulatory initiatives and called on the Clubs to provide more guidance on the technicalities and costs of complying with new regulations. “The support of the Clubs has never been more critical,” he stressed.

-The inaugural Capital Link Cyprus Shipping Forum took place in Limassol on 9 February 2017, at the Columbia Plaza. George Tsavliris was the Conference Chairman. The event was a huge success drawing over 400 delegates from abroad and from the vibrant Cyprus shipping community. The Forum was organised under the Auspices of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works with the support of the Cyprus Union of Shipowners.

-Capital Link hosted its successful 8th Annual Greek Shipping Forum “Opportunities & Challenges” on 15 February 2017 at the Divani Caravel Hotel in Athens. The Forum attracted more than 1,400 delegates and is known for its large attendance by shipping companies’ executives, opinion makers and market participants. The “2017 Capital Link Greek Shipping Leadership Award” was presented to Professor Costas Th. Grammenos, Cass Business School, City University of London. Last year the “2016 Capital Link Greek Shipping Leadership Award” was presented to the three Tsavliris brothers. (Picture: Professor Costas Th. Grammenos with close friend Andreas Tsavliris).

– Tsavliris participated in the International Propeller Club event commemorating the friendship of the United States of America and the Hellenic Republic. The event took place on 23 February on board the SS “HELLAS LIBERTY” and was organised on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Truman Doctrine and the 190th anniversary of the transfer of the US Frigate “Hope” to Greece. The keynote speaker of the event was the US Ambassador to Greece, Mr Geoffrey Pyatt.

“HELLAS LIBERTY” (ex SS Arthur M Huddel) is a Liberty ship launched in 1943 which survived World War II. In 2008 she was transferred to Greece and after renovations she was converted into a maritime museum. Liberty ships represent the history of the resurgence of the Greek merchant shipping fleet following the end of the Second World War. Tsavliris Group owned a substantial number of Liberty ships in the past.

Tsavliris Salvage Group handled the towage of the ship from Norfolk, Virginia USA to the port of Piraeus. Nicolas Tsavliris (picture: second from left with other members of the Club) is a Member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees at the Association of Friends of the Museum Ship “HELLAS LIBERTY”. Tsavliris Salvage is a member of the Club “Friends of Liberty”.

-Tsavliris participated in a series of events in Brussels during the 2nd European Shipping Week from 27 February to 3 March. This year’s European Shipping Week succeeded once more at raising the visibility of the sector and at acting as a platform for the discussion of the challenges that have an impact on the maritime industry.

George Tsavliris (third from the left during the European Tugowners Association gala dinner) represented the Tsavliris Group at the ETA events, the ECSA BoD meeting etc.

-Over 50 speakers and panelists presented views on the “post-crisis” challenges and opportunities facing the shipping industry during the Mare Forum Greece 2017 on 7 March, at the Hilton Hotel, Athens. Held annually since 2001, the event produced a mixture of optimism, opportunities and threats in the shipping industry. Among presenters were George Stathakis, Greece’s Environment and Energy minister, who outlined projects leading the country’s developing energy producing sector, while Marios Demetriades minister for Transport, Communications and Works, Cyprus, also spoke of energy prospects in the East Mediterranean and the attributes of Cyprus as a shipping centre. George Tsavliris was the Conference Chairman.

Source: Tsavliris