The Maersk container ship was towed after running aground off the German island

BERLIN, Feb 4 (Reuters) – Tugboats have towed one of the world’s largest container ships, the Mumbai Maersk, which ran aground off Germany’s North Sea island of Wangerooge, it said on Friday. the German Central Maritime Emergency Command.

“The Mumbai Maersk was towed away on a second attempt,” Central Command said in a statement posted on its website. “The large container ship must be brought to the destination port of Bremerhaven as soon as possible.”

An offshore tug, a multi-purpose vessel and six support tugs took part in the operation, he added.

The Danish-flagged ship was en route from Rotterdam in the Netherlands to the port city of Bremerhaven in northwestern Germany when it ran aground on Wednesday evening, the Maritime Emergencies Command said earlier. .

No injuries were reported among the 30 people on board and no fuel leaks were found. Read more

Maritime transport accounts for 80% to 90% of all world trade and Mumbai Maersk belongs to a class of very large vessels which can carry over 18,000 twenty foot equivalent (33 m3) containers containing furniture, vehicles, textiles and other export goods.

The first attempt to tow the vessel 400 meters into deeper water on Thursday morning by two multi-purpose vessels and five tugs failed.

Written by Paul Carrel; Editing by Kim Coghill

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