One more Lloyds Open Form was signed for TSAVLIRIS SALVAGE with the owners of 64,120 Dwt bulker "ALTAIR" on the 1st of September. The vessel was in laden condition, steaming northbound into Khawr Abd Allah channel, from Rostock to Umm Qasr for discharging her cargo of 50.1590 MT wheat and she run aground south of buoy number 14 of the Umm Qasr/Iraq navigating channel.

TSAVLIRIS immediately dispatched the S/T "SB-408" from her salvage station at Mumbai and the "CAPTAIN MICHALIS" from Dubai and successfully refloated the vessel on the 8th of September. Next day she was then redelivered to her owners at Umm Qasr.

On the 2nd of September the 47,000-dwt oil tanker "ASSOS" required professional salvage assistance while approaching her destination at New York and laded with cargo of naphtha she became immobilized due to propulsion failure. TSAVLIRIS who was engaged under Lloyds Open Form assisted in the STS cargo transfer. The tugs, "ATLANTIC SALVOR", "MARY ALICE" and "KENDALL BRAKE" assisted the vessel, which was subsequently shifted to a repair berth at New York harbour and was redelivered to her owners on the 15th of September.

"NIKOLAY CHIKER" and tug "DE DA" towed a floating production (FPSO) vessel, "SANHA" from Cape Town to its offshore station at Cabinda Angola, assisting with positioning.

On January 7th, the 14.000 dwt container vessel "GILIAN" suffered an engine room explosion and was immobilized off Tanjung Pandan, at position approximately 340 miles SE of Singapore. "GILIAN" was on a laden voyage of 300 containers from Jakarta to Singapore. TSAVLIRIS - under LOF agreement - immediately mobilized a salvage master and the subcontracted S/T "SEABULK CARROLL" from Singapore to tow the casaulty.

The vessel was safely delivered on January 12th at Singapore Boarding Ground B.

The 7.074 dwt chemical tanker "ECO PRINCESS" in ballast ,became immobilized about 350 miles NE of Cape Verde Islands .TSAVLIRIS -under LOF agreement - dispatched S/T "LEOPARD" from Mindello and the casualty was taken under tow, arriving at Dakar Roads on January 16th .

TSAVLIRIS operated salvage tug "FOTIY KRYLOV" was engaged to tow the bulk carrier "MANI P" from Las Palmas to Lorient.

Bulk carrier "DIA P" loaded with 31.000 tonnes of Sonya beans and maize stranded near Tartous Port Breakwater on January 23rd. The vessel was en route from San Lorenzo to Tartous Syria. After obtaining LOF on January 25th, TSAVLIRIS tug "MEGAS ALEXANDROS" - together with a salvage master and divers on board sailed the next day .The tug was fully loaded with salvage equipment including crabs, yokohama fenders, electric submersible pumps, hoses etc.

"MEGAS ALEXANDROS" voyage was interrupted several times due to bad weather and was forced to seek shelter; when she finally arrived at the casualty site in bad weather on January 31st, one crewmember injured while boarding on the casualty and was repatriated. One geared and two gearless vessels were used for lightening approximately 8.000 mt of maize in order to refloat the ship, with a combination of grabs and vacuvators. More specifically, suitable grabs and two vacuvator were dispatched for this purpose. The lightening operation was interrupted / delayed on numerous occasions due to bad weather prevailing throughout the operation and the fact that the casualty offered no lee side.

On February 27, a second tug was brought in the 3.000 hp Kerveros ,which was hired to assist in the salvage operation and performed tasks such as scouring. On completion of the lightening operation and with a combination of scouring and pulling the vessel was successfully refloated on March 7th.

Tsavliris tug "MEGAS ALEXANDROS" sailed from Piraeus to Limassol, Cyprus to tow M/V "MARRAKECH EXPRESS". The vessel was safely deliverd to Syros island on April 18th.

The 35.584 dwt vessel "RADWAN", laden with 33.500 mts of vegetable oil ,while on a voyage from Brazil to Bandar Abbas, was immobilized due to main engine failure approximately 500 miles from Cape Town.

S/T "NIKOLAY CHIKER" was dispatched from Cape Town on January 29th to assist the casaulty.The tug arrived at the site the next day at noon and towed her back to the port of Cape Town on February 4th.

Τhe 5112 dwt General cargo "ELANTA",while en route from Morocco to Turkey, loaded with 1789 tonnes of scrap iron , grounded 30 meters –due to severe weather conditions- from the coast of Cape Megalos Lamnionas ,SE Chios island. Prevailing weather at that time was storm F10, South winds, 7 meter waves. On board 18 crew-members, who were all in good health! No ingress of water was reported.

Under LOF agreement (SCOPIC invoked) on February 15th, TSAVLIRIS dispatched subcontracted tug "ATLAS" - with one diver and anti pollution equipment onboard- and was standby to sail from Piraeus at first opportunity (weather permitting). Due to extremely severe weather conditions the salvage master and the diver flew to Chios and arrived on the same day afternoon, but were unable to get onboard the casualty. Tug "ATLAS" arrived on February 17th. One floating Crane and three dumb barges were mobilized from Piraeus with the assistance of three tugs. All pumpable bunkers were removed from the casualty prior to any lightering or refloating efforts to minimize the danger of pollution.

Approximately, 1000 tons of cargo were discharged and the vessel was successfully refloated on March 5th after various pulling combinations performed by three tugs. The casualty and barges were taken under tow to destination Nemrut Bay, Turkey for delivery of the cargo to recipients. Convoy arrived at March 10th.

The motor yacht "SURF" had sunk in Marina Zeas due to bad weather on February 15th. Under LOF Agreement (SCOPIC invoked) mobilization commenced the next day due to prevailing bad weather conditions. TSAVLIRIS mobilized two floating cranes and a dive support vessel, as well as a tug for the operation. After deployment of booms and removal of pollutants from the yacht, the casualty was lifted using TSAVLIRIS' 100-t floating crane "DIAS" and thereafter towed to Elefsis Shipyards.

On March 31 the car carrier "ANIARA" suffered an engine room fire ,while some 20 nautical miles off Piraeus. The crew were airlifted from the vessel after attempts to extinguish the fire failed. TSAVLIRIS immediately dispatched S/T "MEGAS ALEXANDROS", together with a floating crane and an additional tug , fully laden with salvage & anti-pollution equipment as well as divers on board.

When S/T "MEGAS ALEXANDROS" approached the casaulty, she activated the fire fighting and the boundary cooling system .However due to fast drifting and deteriorating weather conditions, the salvage tug made an effort to make fast and hold the vessel, with no success. As a result , a Zodiac was launched with three salvage crew onboard. One crew member - with great difficulty - managed to climb on the rope ladder and to board on the casualty's bridge, taking the casualty's mooring rope. Eventually, the S/T "MEGAS ALEXANDROS" established a tow connection with the vessel, and with the assistance of the zodiac and another tug, the convoy proceeded to a shelter to perform fire fighting services. The salvage operation ended with the safe anchoring of the casaulty at the shelter of Agios Georgios on April 1st. The operation was then continued by another salvage contractor.

The bulk carrier "CARAVOS HORIZON" - loaded with 58.162 fertilisers - was immobilised due to steering problems, at position about 850 miles of Azores island. The vessel was en route from Tampa, Florida to India.

After signing a LOF agreement, TSAVLIRIS immediately dispatched S/T "FOTIY KRYLOV" from Ponta Delgada . Towage of the casualty commenced on May 3rd and headed to Azores; however due to adverse weather conditions and for the safety of the casualty, the direction of the convoy was changed to the East towards Gibraltar Straits. The convoy arrived at Piraeus in the beginning of June.

The bulker "THIA CHRYSSOULA" ran aground in waters off the disputed Outsuri island- one of the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea -at about midnight May 4th. There were no injuries to the 31 crew, no pollution was reported.

"THIA CHRYSSOULA" was travelling from Jakarta to South Korea, carrying 43,000 tons of steel, when the incident occurred. Attempts made by the casualty's own power ended with no success. TSAVLIRIS after signing a LOF agreement , immediately mobilised 2 subcontracted tugs , lightening vessels and anti-pollution equipment , together with the salvage master & officer, salvage engineer and salvage divers. 

The motor vessel "ARION" in ballast, was immobilised due to steering gear failure approximately 875 miles East Of Salvador Brazil. TSAVLIRIS after signing a LOF agreement, immediately dispatched the subcontracted tugboat "Arcturus" to tow the vessel.

The vessel was safely delivered to the Port of Rio De Janeiro on 23rd of May.