Pride of place for boat that weathered the storm
A salmon farming service vessel that survived being swept from the deck of a cargo ship during a North Sea storm will be christened at the world’s largest aquaculture trade show, Aqua Nor, in Norway next month.
The AQS Tor had been completed at the Moen Marin yard in Croatia and was being transported to Norway on the deck of the Eemslift Hendrika when a heavy load in the hold shifted in rough seas, causing the freighter to list dangerously.
The service vessel – owned by aquaculture industry service provider AQS – was later washed overboard but stayed afloat and was towed to safety, albeit with some damage from its ordeal.
First assignment
“AQS Tor will soon be fully repaired after the accident, and we are very much looking forward to showing it at Aqua Nor, and of course to rent it out for its first assignment this summer,” said AQS technical manager Kristian Hjertvik.
The christening will be open to all participants at Aqua Nor in Trondheim. The event will also be broadcast on the digital trade fair platform.
“The christening will take place at 4pm on Wednesday, August 25,” added Hjertvik. “It will be a public ceremony that all participants at Aqua Nor can attend. In addition, the boat will be open to visitors who want to have a closer look at it.
“AQS Tor has already become a well-known name in Norway. We want to show it off during the exhibition, both because we are proud of it and the journey it has survived, but also to inspire others to work at sea and join this fantastic profession.”
Waiting for parts
The crew of the Eemslift Hendrika was airlifted to safety after the vessel got into difficulties off the coast of Norway in April, but rescue teams still had a job to do to secure the freighter, which had several tonnes of fuel and oil aboard and posed an environmental threat.
“The Norwegian Coastal Administration and the rescue company thus naturally had to prioritise rescuing the cargo ship. In order to save AQS Tor, we finally chose to hire the salvage company Stadt Sjøtransport ourselves,” said Hjertvik, who believes that the extent of the damage would have been much greater if the company had not saved the boat itself. After a tender round, the vessel was sent to Moen Verft at Kolvereid, where the repairs were started.
“Right now, we are just waiting for a few parts, then the boat will be ready to be put into operation. AQS Tor will be an excellent service boat for the aquaculture industry, in addition to being equipped with ROV (remotely operated vehicle) - and can thus be used for other assignments such as control of submarine cables and pipelines,” the technical manager said.
