Stricken vessel towed into Scalloway Harbour

The stricken cargo vessel Eems Star made it back to port under tow by the Shetland Islands Council tug Dunter at 11.30pm last night.

The Dutch freighter had suffered an engine failure after departing from Scalloway at the weekend.

The Dunter played a vital role in support of the Eems Star as she prepared to enter port after having a significant engine failure which left her drifting off the South Mainland the previous day.

The Aith lifeboat had been called out on Sunday morning when the fault had occurred. The lifeboat remained with the vessel after she restarted her engines and navigated to safer waters.

The Eems Star lay at anchor overnight on Sunday in the Scalloway Harbour approaches, just north of the island of Linga. By this time the Dunter arrived and a tow line was passed to the 2,650grt vessel with a view to assisting her into port.

The fierce weather that persisted throughout the daylight hours of Monday prevented the two vessels from entering port together, safely, so the Dunter maintained her station with tow line connected overnight and into Monday evening.

The Eems Star‘s anchor kept her in position throughout the night and Monday daytime, until the two vessels were ready to begin their passage into Scalloway when the weather eased, after 9pm on Monday evening.

With the Scalloway pilot launch Lyrie also joining the tow, on a stern line, the threesome slipped into Scalloway without incident, coming alongside at 11.30pm.

The Eems Star was guided alongside under shortened tow line by the Dunter, with the Lyrie pulling her stern, then pushing up until the cargo vessel was made fast.

The Eems Star had been in Scalloway delivering a cargo of offshore platform mooring chains at the weekend.

Mark Burgess