French Container Vessel Refloated

The CMA CGM Normandie, a French container vessel, has been refloated after hitting a reef in international waters in the Singapore Straits, Reuters reported. The stricken vessel was moved to safer waters to survey the damage and assess its seaworthiness but there was no risk of pollution as the bunker fuel had been pumped out by the salvage company. "The vessel is understood have hit the reef with some considerable force, leaving the front third of the vessel up on the reef and out of the water. Five holds were damaged in the grounding," Lloyd's said in a report to Reuters. "The French owners have discounted that the vessel will be declared a total constructive loss. Industry sources said they thought it was unlikely that the 1991-built vessel would be written off." - (Reuters)