TSAVLIRIS tug "SB-408" supplied bunkers to Rig "PANON" at Djibouti Roads.

The 18.000 dwt motor vessel "ALMA", loaded with cargo steel products stranded off Piraeus. The vessel was partly discharged and refloated.

The 500 dwt motor vessel "YPAPANTI" wrecked on Mykonos island. The vessel was moved and sank.

TSAVLIRIS salvage crew of tug "LEOPARD" performed underwater patching in a crack on the shell plate of "ALLEGRA". Attended off Dakar.

The vessel "MULTIFLEX ORION" was Immobilized due to engine problem in US Gulf. The vessel was towed to New Orleans.

TSAVLIRIS SALVAGE Crew performed antipollution services through the deployment of rig booms, dispersing chemicals and de-watering operations to "CAPTAIN SPYROS".

Vessel "XL" was immobilized due to fire in engine room 50 nm off Port Hedland, Australia. TSAVLIRIS subcontracted 2 tugs and towed the vessel to Singapore.

The 7.100 dwt cargo ship "COMPASS RAY", loaded with 300 containers, was immobilized off Western India. Under a LOF agreement, TSAVLIRIS sent off 2 subcontracted tugs. After supplying the vessel with electricity, she was towed to Colombo.

The 52.500 dwt cargo ship "JOHN R", in ballast, grounded off Tromsoe, Norway. A LOF with Scopic clause was invoked and 3 subcontracted tugs were dispatched. The vessel was wrecked.

The 3.200 dwt cargo ship "CORVO", loaded with containers, ran aground at Azores. Engaged under a LOF agreement with Scopic clause, TSAVLIRIS dispatched the 40.000 hp "FOTIY KRYLOV". The vessel was wrecked.

The 17.500 dwt cargo ship "ANASTASIA", laden with 14000 tons of sugar in bags, was en route from Santos Brazl to Lagos, Nigeria when she lost her power in South Atlantic. TSAVLIRIS – operated tug "LEOPARD" was immediately dispatched to assist the casualty and towed her to Takoradi, Ghana.

The 17.130 dwt General Cargo Vessel "CLIO" grounded at Bandar Khomeini in early December. The ship was carrying steel products and general cargo. TSAVLIRIS was awarded an LOF-2000 and tried to refloat the ship using local tugs an a high tide; when this failed, a decision was taken to lighten the vessel by about 2.500 tonnes before the second and successful attempt was made.

The 16.500 dwt cargo ship "MED GLORY", while on a laden voyage with 15.750 tons of wheat from Punta Alvear to Santos and Rio De Janeiro, ran aground at River Parana, Argentina. Engaged under a LOF agreement, TSAVLIRIS sent off 2 subcontracted tugs to refloat the vessel.

The 65.000 dwt "ANANGEL ARGONAUT" fully laden with iron ore, ran aground at River Scheldt, off Flushing. A massive refloating operation was undertaken with 19 local tugs by TSAVLIRIS SALVAGE in cooperation with Smit Union Salvage and Multraship Towage & Salvage.

The 1.500 dwt cargo ship "YTONG I" , fully laden with wood plates, while on a voyage from Porto Lagos, Northern Greece to Ismir, Turkey, took a heavy list at 20 nm off Samothraki island. While abandoning the vessel, one crewmember died. TSAVLIRIS engaged under a LOF contract, immediately dispatched 2 subcontracted tugs. The vessel was towed to Alexandroupolis.

The 132.000 dwt Motor Tanker "MICHAEL", while on her passage from Singapore to Lavan island, Iraq was immobilised in the after an engine room fire. Under a LOF agreement, TSAVLIRIS immediately dispatched S/T "SB-408". After extinguishing the fire, the vessel was de-watered, patched and towed to Galle.

TSAVLIRIS signed a LOF contact with the owners of the 9.000 Motor Vessel "CAPTAIN SPYROS". The casaulty had ran aground at Psara island in the Aegean while on a voyage to Turkey with 365 containers. Three tugs and a floating crane were despatched, together with a team of divers and salvage officers, to salvage the casaulty.

After lightening operations the vessel was succesfully refloated and towed to Piraeus.

A highly complex operation was coordinated by TSAVLIRIS after the 43,000 dwt Motor Vessel "CHOYANG SUCCESS" caught fire in September 2000 off the Malaysian coast just one day into its voyage and with 1,711 containers on board. Two explosions then rocked the vessel, which made it back to Singapore to unload 132 boxes over the fire-racked No 6 hold before being ordered out of the port. It was at that critical stage, with the fire still persisting, that TSAVLIRIS was contracted to handle the casualty.

The tug "BRITOIL 33" was called in from Tuas, Singapore and had the blaze under control in 48 hours with more CO2 pumped into the hold. A crane barge and three tugs then quickly removed 10 of the damaged containers, and special portable tanks were ordered up to pump out highly contaminated wastewaters and remove the remaining boxes in the hold. Once a floating crane had lifted the hatchcovers, a tank cleaning team then quickly restored No. 6 to good shape for reloading of the containers and return of the Motor Vessel "CHOYANG SUCCESS" to the berth.

The 23.000 dwt cargo ship "PRIDE", loaded with 21,415 tons of salt in bulk, was discharging part of her cargo at Chittagong Roads . Due to strong winds, the vessels' anchors drifted causing the propeller to be entangled with the anchor chain. Engaged under an LOF agreement, TSAVLIRIS hired 2 local tugs to tow and secure the vessel.

The 5.000 dwt reefer "HECTOR", loaded with frozen fish, was immobilised off Mauritania. Engaged under a LOF agreement, TSAVLIRIS dispatched S/T "LEOPARD" and towed the vessel to Tema, Ghana.

The 33.000 moter vessel "MADONA", while on a laden voyage with cement in bulk from Jakarta to South Africa, was immobilised in the Indian Ocean. TSAVLIRIS immediately dispatched the subcontracted tug Britoil 38 to assist the casualty.

The 23.000 dwt cargo ship "AMARYLLIS", while on a laden voyage with soya beans from San Lorentzo, Argentina to South Africa, was immobilised after an explosion in her engine room at River Plate. Engaged under a LOF contract, TSAVLIRIS subcontracted the tug "ALIANZA ROSARIO" and towed the vessel to La Plata.

The 70.000 dwt Bulk Carrier "MYAMI I", while on a laden voyage with coal from Vancouver Canada to Dunkirk France, was immobilized in Mid Atlantic. TSAVLIRIS – operated "FOTIY KRYLOV" was despatched, under Lloyd's Open Form and towed the vessel to Dunkirk .

The 6.000 dwt laden container ship "ABUDHABI DIAMOND", was immobilized due to mechanical failure some 24 nm off Kaohsiung, while on her passage from Keelung / Taiwan to Hong Kong. Tsavliris – operated "FOTIY KRYLOV" was dispatched, under Lloyd's Open Form and escorted the vessel to Kaohsiung.

The 30.000 dwt cargo ship "FLAG SOFIA", grounded on the 9th September on her passage from Tampa To Paranagua, about 11 miles off Paranagua. The vessel, laden with 26000 tons of fertilisers, was refloated by 2 subcontracted tugs, which TSAVLIRIS sent after obtaining a LOF contract.

The 30,000 dwt cargo ship "ST. NICHOLAS A."  while on a laden voyage Mexico to Cristobal, loaded with approximately 25.000 tonnes of fluorspar/steel pipes, was immobilised due to main engine failure about 240 n miles North Of Cristobal (Panama). Engaged under a LOF agreement, TSAVLIRIS immediately despatched a subcontracted tug and towed the vessel to Cristobal.

The 75.000 dwt bulk carrier "ANANGEL ENOSIS" laden with about 43.000 tons of iron ore grounded 287 KM of River Parana. Engaged under a LOF agreement, TSAVLIRIS immediately despatched 2 subcontracted tugs and refloated the vessel.

The 30.000 dwt cargo ship "ANAX" while on a laden voyage with Zinc concentrates and fish meal from Peru To Thailand, broke down off Solomon Islands.

The vessel was towed to Port Moresby.

The 14.000 dwt vessel "X-PRESS NILGIRI" laden with 600 containers was immobilised off Colombo, on her passage to Mumbai. Two subcontracted tugs were despatched to assist the casualty and towed her to Mumbai.

Typifying the Group's adventerous, ready- to-go approach to casualties was this difficult operation to salve the Motor Vessel "ANEMONE" off the South American coast . The 17,180 tonne multipurpose cargoship was abandoned at sea by her crew, with a flooded engine room and water reportedly washing over hae afterdeck. Although TSAVLIRIS hired a local tug and a spotter plane to hunt for the vessel,  she was missing for several days and feared lost. But the ship and her steel cargo were eventually located and towed to Trinidad for de-watering, repairs and machinery preservation.

The 7,000 dwt cargo ship "ANDREAS P" loaded with approximately 7,000 tonnes of barley grounded at Preveza Channel, while on a voyage from Immingham to Preveza. The vessel was successfully refloated and safely redelivered to her owners on August 8.

The Bulk Carrier "FLAME" while carrying steel products from the Black Sea to South America, broke down in mid Atlantic. The vessel was towed by TSAVLIRIS' super tug "FOTIY KRYLOV" to Trinidad.

One of the most impressive leisure craft salvage operations was the Motor Yacht "ONTARIO" which ran aground early August at Seskli island, near Rhodes in the Eastern Aegean. After despatching the "ATLAS" from TSAVLIRIS fleet and engaging a local tug to help to refloat the waterlogged vessel The Group's technicians pumped out all the sea water, patched the damage to her hull and carried out preservation of her machinery.

The vessel was safely redelivered to her owners in Rhodes.

The Bulk Carrier "RODANTHI", while completing loading of iron ore grounded in the outer road of Vysotsk Russia. TSAVLIRIS successfully refloated the vessel.

The bulker 65.000 dwt "LEADER A II" in ballast , broke her moorings during heavy weather at Kynosoura, Piraeus. The casualty was towed away to a secure anchorage.

The 15.400 dwt Motor Vessel "BRAVE MASTER", while on a laden voyage from Canada to Jeddah, with a cargo of approximately 1600 mt of timber, sustained main engine damage off Gibraltar.

The vessel was towed to Piraeus.

Several vessels were threatened when a slops reception barge became a raging inferno at a busy ships' anchorage off Salamis Island, Greece, on the evening of 15th June. As flames hopped to the nearby "RALLIA", her owners called in TSAVLIRIS under a Lloyd's Open Form to control the blaze aboard their 15,700-lonne cargo ship. The 10,000 hp "MEGAS ALEXANDROS" fought the fire in the Rallia's accommodation and engine-room area throughout the night, extinguishing the flames early the following morning.

Several vessels were threatened when a slops reception barge became a raging inferno at a busy ships' anchorage off Salamis Island, Greece, on the evening of 15th June. TSAVLIRIS tug "MEGAS ALEXANDROS" aided at risk the bulk carrier "LEADER A II" from a blazing barge, which was towed to a safer anchorage in Piraeus.

The 26.000 dwt Motor Vessel "HARIS", while on a laden voyage with a cargo of tapioca in bulk, suffered engine-room flooding at Panjang, Indonesia. De-watering, cleaning and preservation operations were necessary before the vessel was towed to Curacao.

In early June, the TSAVLIRIS owned tug "LEOPARD" was dispatched under a Lloyd's Open Form to assist the 12.000 Motor Vessel "PETER", reportedly taking on water after a scrape with a larger bulk carrier a few miles outside the port of Owendo. However, the vessel sank in 10 m of water and her P& I insurer, Terra Nova indicated it would not put up the guarantee provided in the Scopic Clause. After assessing the salvage operation it was concluded the salvage costs would exceed salved values and TSAVLIRIS terminated the LOF agreement.

The "LEOPARD" then proceeded to Owendo where it was held by the Gabonese authorities as a bargaining ship in their attempt to obtain $3 m bond from the shipowners in order to cover conceivable liabilities from the wreck. TSAVLIRIS' salvage master and divers who had been sent from Greece were also prevented from leaving Owendo. This was not the first time that governments had used salvage tugs as scapegoats for accidents in nearby waters, despite the fact that salvors bore no responsibility. In this instance TSAVLIRIS was not the only victim of the affair as the 25 crewmembers of the Motor Vessel "PETER" were also prevented from leaving Gabon, pending the provision of security by Terra Nova.

Fortunately, the Leopards' plight did not last too long, as diplomatic channels were able to persuade the authorities to release the vessel and the salvage team. However, the crew of the Motor Vessel "PETER" were not that lucky and while the lower ranks were later repatriated, the ships officers were kept in Owendo for several weeks with their passports withheld.

On 30 May TSAVLIRIS won an LOF to salve the 33,788 dwt Products Motor Tanker "FAY STAR", which sustained a flooded engine room at Puerto Cabello fully laden with vegetable oil. By June 5, the engine room had been dried out. It was cleaned a day later, a job that included the removal of oily water from the bilges. After some additional repairs the vessel was then towed to Curacao by the chartered tug Seabulk Gannet.

TSAVLIRIS attended the stranded 54.309 dwt bulker "THETIS I", which grounded at Port Klang pilot station on 26 May. The Group chartered the ITC managed 974 –gt tug "SUMATRAS", which helped to refloat the vessel on 29 May. Class surveyors at the anchorage found no damage. The bulker underwent engine repairs at anchor before continuing to Rotterdam.

TSAVLIRIS tug "HERMES" towed Motor Tanker "PROTOPOROS" from Patras to Piraeus

The 3.500 dwt cargo ship "MULTIFLEX SPRINT" suffered main engine damage off Cape Finistere. The vessel was towed to La Corunna, Spain.

The 17.500 dwt cargo ship "AGIOS EFRAIM", while on a laden voyage from France to Angola Lobito with a cargo of 1.500 tons of corn ran aground 3 miles off Lobito. The vessel was successfully refloated on May 4th.

Towage of "ATLAS" Jack up rig from Northern entrance of Vosporhus to Kavalla.

The 15.000 dwt cargo ship "SEA DUKE", loaded with 12.100 tons betonite was on a voyage from Milos to Rotterdam, when broke down off Cape Passero.

The vessel was towed by TSAVLIRIS' "MEGAS ALEXANDROS" to Piraeus .

Tanker "SHANNON SPIRIT" was towed from Limassol to Piraeus.

The 31.000 dwt Tanker "PANAGIA SOUMELA" in ballast, grounded off Suez. TSAVLIRIS immediately dispatched "MEGAS ALEXANDROS" to assist the casualty.

The vessel was successfully refloated on April 17.

The subcontracted tug "CHAMPION Z" escorted the Aircraft Carrier "VARYAG" under tow in the Dardanelles.

The 4.000 Motor Vessel "HERO II", was on a voyage from Qingoao, China to Bangkok, when immobilised in South China Sea. The vessel, loaded with cargo steel products was towed to Hong Kong by a subcontracted tug.

"HERMES" towed Barge "AKTEA II" from Patras to Pylos and Barge "AKTEA III" from Pylos to Patras respectively.

Τhe 16,961 dwt bulker "ARIS" broke down about 150 miles off Socotra Island on 28 March while on voyage from Brazil to Berbera with 13,000 tonnes of sugar. A LOF-95 was signed with TSAVLIRIS, whose chartered 2.050 gt-salvage tug "SB-408" left Djibuti the same day to tow the ship to Barbera.

"HERMES" towed a Floating Crane "CHRISTOS III" from Patras to Krioneri.

The 34.000 dwt "EXPRESS FIGHTER", fully laden with 30.000 tons of iron ore, ran aground at the mouth of Orinoco River, 8.8 miles off Venezuela. Three subcontracted tugs were dispatched to assist the casualty. The vessel was succesfully refloated on March 7.

The 115 m. Floating Dock "BENGHAZI" adrift to Sitre was towed by "MEGAS ALEXANDROS" to Tripoli, Libya.

The 14711 dwt Motor Vessel "STAVREATOS", on her voyage from Candla, India to Taiwan was immobilised due to fire in engine room at position LAT. 05 48 N – LONG. 091 26 E – about 800 nm West of Singapore. TSAVLIRIS dispatched a subcontracted tug to assist the vessel which was loaded at that time with agricultural products.

The 12.000 dwt Motor Vessel "DESPINA" was immobilised off Cape Sounio. TSAVLIRIS subcontracted tug "AGIOS DIMITRIOS" and towed her to Piraeus.

The dwt 71.756 Motor Vessel "SAMJOHN LIGHT", on her voyage from Australia to San Nicolas, grounded on February 21, at position 44 km at Bara Del Farallon (River Plate), Argentina. Three subcontracted tugs as well as TSAVLIRIS' senior salvage personnel were sent to assist the vessel, which was at that time loaded with 39.670 tons of charcoal.

Salvage services ended after a succesful refloating and discharging operation at San Nicolas on March 5.

The 38.000 dwt , Motor Vessel "VORIOS IPIROS HELLAS" - loaded with about 32.000 tons of fertilizer - was immobilised due to main engine breakdown (generator problems), at position Lat. 54 07 N, Long. 05 38 E (off Netherlands) on her voyage to St. Petersburg bound for India. TSAVLIRIS subcontracted a tug to assist the vessel.

"HERMES" towed a Floating Crane "CHRISTOS III" and Tug "CHRISTOS VII" between Preveza and Patras in connection with the major bridge construction project Gefira.

"HERMES" towed a Floating Crane "MARIOS" and two barges between Kilini and Kalamata.

The dwt 21500 Bulk Carrier "SEMENA", while in ballast condition, grounded 40 nm South of Novorosiysk, Black Sea. TSAVLIRIS SALVAGE personnel were sent to inspect the casaulty.

TSAVLIRIS tug "HERMES" towed Tug "CHRISTOS VII" and the Floating Crane "CHRISTOS III" from Patras to Preveza.

The Motor Yacht "ERRANTE" ran aground at Foinikas Bay, Syros Island. TSAVLIRIS' S/T "ATLAS" and a Floating Crane "ARCHONTO" were dispatched to assist the casaulty.

The yacht was succesfully refloated and delivered to Perama on January 22.

The 33.000 dwt Bulk Carrier "BONITA LIGHT" was immobilised off Dakar. TSAVLIRIS tug "LEOPARD" towed the vessel to Las Palmas.

The 3,500 dwt Motor Vessel "MATTHEOS", loaded with 300 tons of scrap iron, sunk after taking water in two of her lower compartments while docked at Kalamata port. TSAVLIRIS tug "MEGAS ALEXANDROS" sailed to assist the casaulty.

The vessel was succesfully refloated in 14th of January.