Product Tanker Towed to Marseille After Engine Room Fire

France’s Mediterranean maritime authority is reporting that a tow of a disabled product tanker was completed this afternoon, January 29, after the vessel suffered an engine room fire. The decision was made to move the tanker to Marseille where it can be offloaded and a survey completed.

The Greek-operated product tanker Kriti Captain (37,434 dwt) had docked in Port-la-Nouvelle on January 25 after a trip from Augusta, Italy where it departed on January 22. It was loaded with 25,000 tonnes of diesel fuel for shipment to France.

Late night on January 25, the captain of the tanker requested the assistance of the local authorities to battle a fire aboard the vessel. The Aude Prefect reported that 55 firefighters were involved in the effort to locate the fire in the engine room and then extinguish the fire. By 0700 on January 26, the fire was extinguished, but crews were still working to detect possible hotspots. No injuries were reported during the fire.

 

Firefighters battling the engine room fire on the tanker (Prefet Aude)

 

The Kriti Captain was built in 2007. It has been operating since 2022 for Avin International of Greece and the tanker is registered in Liberia.

The French rescue tug Abeille Mediterranee arrived in the port on January 28 and at 1500 began a tow of the disabled tanker.  Prefet Maritime de le Mediterranee reported that the safety conditions for a tow at low speed had been met. The regional operational center however was carefully monitoring the tow. By 1400 today, January 29, the report was that the tanker had been secured at the Marseille seaport.

The next step is to unload the ship’s cargo. The tanker will also undergo a full inspection to prepare it for necessary repairs.