MSC FLAMINIA STARTS ITS JOURNEY TO GERMANY

The MSC Flaminia has left its holding position 20 miles south of Lands End and is now being towed to German territorial waters.

The departure of the ship follows approval from the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands for the vessel to travel through their waters. The journey to German territorial waters is expected to take between four and five days.

-Ends –

Notes to Editors

1.      At 0909 hrs UTC on 14 July 2012 MRCC Falmouth was advised that the 75,590 GT German Flag container ship MSC FLAMINIA had suffered a fire and explosion in position 48 13.0N: 027 46W. The German owned vessel, was on passage from Charleston, USA to Antwerp, Belgium and was laden with a cargo of 2876 containers (4808 TEU equiv) – 149 being classed as Dangerous Goods (DGs). The MSC FLAMINIA suffered considerable damage however a team of international independent experts inspected the vessel on 28 August 2012 and consider that her residual strength is still sound and sufficient for her to remain intact for onward towage to a place of refuge.

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