On 23rd February 2019 MV EFE MURAT encountered bad weather conditions and grounded off a breakwater only 50 metres off Pane e Pomodoro beach at Bari, Italy.
The crew later abandoned the casualty for safety purposes.
Megatugs Salvage & Towage was awarded with an LOF Agreement for the salvage of the casualty. The salvage team arrived on site on 24th February 2019 and immediately commenced the salvage operation despite the adverse weather and sea conditions prevailing. The first priority was the removal of the oil pollutants from the vessel to avoid an environmental disaster.
Fully equipped salvage tugs "PLATYTERA" and "PANTOKRATOR" loaded with salvage and antipollution equipment were mobilised from Piraeus, Greece to assist in the operation. These modern tugs have a high bollard pull with a low draft, which enabled them to work in the shallow waters surrounding the casualty, and are also Oil Recovery Vessels. About 80 tonnes of oil pollutants were successfully removed from the casualty and delivered to licensed reception facilities ashore. Salvage works including patching and sealing numerous cracks in the hull and dewatering and pressurising tanks were carried out in order to provide sufficient buoyancy to allow the casualty to be refloated from the rocky seabed and pulled away from the beach.
The EFE MURAT was successfully refloated on 11th March 2019 shortly before further bad weather was due. After further salvage works were effected it was safely delivered alongside a berth in Bari port. The whole operation was under the supervision of the Italian Authorities, with whom Megatugs worked in close co-operation.