On March 10, 2012, general cargo ship SEAGATE was involved in a collision incident with another reefer vessel approximately 60 miles north of Manzanillo, Dominican Republic. The fully-loaded 557-ft bulker sustained severe damage to her side shell as well as the accommodation block causing a flood in the engine room. The damage started at 3 meters above the keel and extended upwards, both forward and aft. The incident left the vessel without propulsion or generator power. Consequently, the bulker was unable to complete its voyage. The SEAGATE was reported to be stable and all cargo holds intact.
At that time, the vessel owners called on Resolve for further assistance. The vessel was in the care of two 30+ bollard pull tugs off the northern coast of the Dominican Republic. The on-scene and in-tow salvors were unable to obtain a port clearance at any port for vessel refuge. Resolve was contracted for further assistance. Resolve assumed the tow with port clearance to Port Au Prince. The team then continued salvage work with pollution mitigation, casualty assessment, lightering, dewatering of the engine room, temporary repairs and towage to the designated destination after completion of operations.
After ship-to-ship lightering of the full load of grain, the Resolve team dewatered the ship and made extensive repairs for the tow to follow-on port. Resolve was instrumental in obtaining “Official Port of Refuge” clearance at Port au Prince, and continue the necessary repairs for final tow. Resolve also provided complete pollution control and remediation throughout the operation.