Drifting service boat towed back to port
A Norwegian fish farm service vessel which was washed off the deck of a freighter has been recovered.
The crew of the tugboat Stadt Sløvåg were able to attach tow lines to the AQS Tor last night and were due to arrive at Florø early this morning.
The 26-metre service boat is one of three aquaculture service vessels that were being transported to ship supplier Moen Marin on board the Dutch freighter Eemslift Hendrika.
Good news
It is the latest addition to the fleet of Norwegian fish farming services company AQS, which has 18 service vessels and employs around 150 people.
“This is tremendously good news. Now we hope the journey in will be as smooth as possible,” said AQS technical manager Kristian Hjertvik last night.
AQS will send its own boat, AQS Njord, south to Florø to tow AQS Tor north to Kolvereid.
Impressive strength
“Moen Marin is very pleased to have received information that the boat has been salvaged and on its way to land,” said the company’s general manager Terje Andreassen.
“The boat has shown very impressive strength and good seaworthiness. Hopefully we will see the boat in operation for fish farmers along the entire Norwegian coast in not too long.”
Ove Løfsnæs, general manager of AQS, said last night that he was very relieved that the vessel is under control again.
“At the same time, we are very interested about what will meet our and Moen Marin’s people when they come on board tomorrow.”
Løfsnæs paid tribute to Per Wilhelm Saltvedt of tugboat company Stadt Sea Transport and the crew on the Stadt Sløvåg, led by skipper Roman Antons, for the recovery operation.
