Two Kotug Tugboats Rescue Drifting Container Ship Off Mozambique

The Dutch towing company Kotug reported Tuesday that two of its tugboats came to the aid of the container ship EM Oinousses off the coast of Mozambique after the vessel sustained an engine room fire. 

On the night of January 20, the Kotug tugboats RT Spirit and RT Magic received a mayday from the EM Oinousses, which had suffered a "devastating fire" in her engine room while en route from Maputo to Mombasa. The Oinousses' crew had extinguished the blaze, but the vessel was not capable of maneuvering. 

The RT Spirit and RT Magic rendezvoused with the container ship at a position about 50 miles off Nacala, Mozambique. Despite swells, the tugs quickly made up with the vessel, Kotug said. They towed her to a port of refuge and delivered her crew of 25 seafarers to safety.

“We are glad that we were able to bring the EM Oinousses and [her] crew to a safe haven and prevented a possible disaster for the vessel, [her crew], and the environment. I am proud of our well-trained crew who adequately responded to the mayday signal,” said Ard-Jan Kooren, CEO of Kotug, in a statement Tuesday. 

RT Magic and RT Spirit are built to Kotug's Rotortug design, which uses a triangular propulsion configuration for better power, efficiency and maneuverability. The Magic won the KNVTS Ship of the Year award after her delivery in 2000.