SIBENIK, Dec 14 (Hina) - The Croatian cargo ship "Argola" ran aground in the port of the Algerian capital Algiers last Friday, Vitomir Juraga, director of the Sibenik-based "Sartija Nautika" company that operates the ship, confirmed
on Sunday.
SIBENIK, Dec 14 (Hina) - The Croatian cargo ship "Argola" ran
aground in the port of the Algerian capital Algiers last Friday,
Vitomir Juraga, director of the Sibenik-based "Sartija Nautika"
company that operates the ship, confirmed on Sunday. #L#
Juraga said he had been told by the captain of the ship, Zlatan
Radilovic, that the crew did not leave the ship and that there was no
need to rescue it.
Radilovic reported that the ship had run aground as it approached
the port of Algiers because of a difficult manoeuvre instructed by a
port pilot.
"The captain of the Argola claims that as they were entering port
they were instructed by a pilot to return because an outgoing ship
was having problems. They obeyed and started to return when a new
instruction came, ordering them to turn around and enter port.
During the manoeuvre and owing to a strong wind, the ship ran
aground," Juraga said.
Juraga said they were seeking a smaller vessel to transfer the cargo
in order to relieve the ship and refloat it, adding that this would
take five to ten days.
The ship was carrying 25.8 tons of wheat for the Algerian state
agency. Juraga could not say whether the cargo was ruined as claimed
by an Algerian port officer on Saturday.
It was the Argola's first commercial trip organised by Sartija
Nautika. A group of business people, including three men from
Sibenik led by Juraga, bought the ship from the Montenegrin company
"Jugooceanija" at an auction last month.
The ship was built in the "Swan Hunter" shipyard in Britain in 1978.
It is 182.9 metres long and 24.7 metres wide.
(hina) vm