Stranded Tanker Arrives in Port

The disabled Afromax tanker Lady M finally arrived at the Port of Las Palmas Sunday after being stranded two weeks following an onboard fire. 

The 115,418 DWT fuel tanker, owned and operated by Atlas Maritime, was carrying around 90,000 tons of fuel when a May 14 fire struck the vessel, disabling its engines. The incident occurred about 500 nautical miles off the Azores Islands. 

Following the fire, the Lady M was denied entry into port until inspectors could determine the condition of the vessel and that it matched descriptions from the owner.  According to European Union law, petroleum tankers are forbidden from docking in foreign ports without receiving prior permission.  While ascertaining the exact situation onboard, the Coast Guard ordered the vessel to stay at a location about 60 miles off the Coast of Gran Canaria.

Greenpeace Spain expressed concern over this action last Friday citing that the Lady M was carrying 13,000 tons of oil more than the Prestige vessel, which in 2002 resulted in the largest oil spill for both Spain and Portugal. The organization urged Spanish authorities to permit the vessel entry in a nearby port to avoid any potential spill of the ‘dangerous cargo’.

Four tugs assisted in bring the vessel into the Port of Las Palmas Sunday and the port authority has reported that the hull is in very good condition and not at risk of spilling oil. On Monday the Lady M was subsequently transported to the Reina Sofia dock for repairs, which are expected to take between 10 and 15 days.

The vessel was traveling from the Perisan Gulf to Texas when the fire was reported and is set to resume course once repairs are completed.