Container Ship Adrift Off Portuguese Coast

Maersk container ship disabled, drifting off the coast of Portugal after engine failure. Tug ordered just in case.

Maersk Line container ship Gerd Maersk, on passage from the Far East to Bremerhaven, following engine failure, was drifting about 20 miles northwest of Porto.

The ship's engineers are working to repair the damage, while a small tug - Castelo de Obidos - lies in the readiness of hundred meters from the Danish-flagged container ship, ready to provide assistance should there be need.

"We expect to Gerd Maersk will be ready to proceed over the next 24 hours," said press officer Michael Storgaardård, AP Moller - Maersk.

Storgaard stresses that the ship is situated far from shore and 1,000 feet of water, so there is absolutely no danger.

For safety's sake, Maersk Line, however, commissioned a major tug who is currently on its way to the location.

Gerd Maersk was built in 2006 and has a capacity of 6,600 TEUs