Capsized Cargo Ship Towed to Le Havre

The hull of capsized cargo ship Britannica Hav has been towed to the Port of Le Havre following a collision with a fishing vessel earlier this week in the English Channel.

The 82-meter freighter arrived in port Thursday under the tow of rescue tug RIAS Abeille Liberté and several escort vessels.

The Maltese flagged Britannica Hav capsized and overturned Tuesday after a collision with Belgian flagged fishing vessel Deborah about 50 nautical miles northeast of Cherbourg, France. The freighter’s seven crew members evacuated the ship aboard two life rafts and were recovered by the fishing vessel.

With the Britannica Hav at dock, a technical assessment of the vessel’s condition is underway to help the ship’s owner determine a salvage strategy. Divers have cut the mast and various superstructures so that the ship can be turned over at a later date.

Britannica Hav was transporting a 1,955 MT steel cargo and had 48 tons of light diesel fuel on board at the time of the collision.

Protective barriers have been put in place around the vessel to limit the risk of pollution.

French authorities are also monitoring four 15-by-20-foot bilge panels that broke loose in the collision, with several already in tow. All four panels will be brought to Le Havre.