A legal row is complicating the salvage of a cargo ship that may have hit a sea mine off Romania.
The 4,250-dwt Seama (built 1981) reported an explosion at the stern in the early hours of Wednesday, 10 nautical miles (18.5 km) east of Sulina, while heading to Ukraine.
Captain Naoum El Hajj, the designated person onshore for the Seama’s Lebanese operator GMZ Ship Management, denied reports that the ship had sunk or was sinking.
“After the initial explosion and the crew evacuation, the Seama did not sink as was previously anticipated. The vessel remained afloat,” he said in a statement to TradeWinds.
The Romanian government promptly dispatched a salvage tug to secure the general cargo ship and prevent further harm, he added.
“I’m pleased to report that the salvage tug successfully and safely towed the Seama approximately three nautical miles from the Romanian coast,” El Hajj said.
But he also mentioned “subsequent complications”.
“The owners of Seama are now in a legal dispute with the salvage tug company. The specifics of this disagreement are currently being dealt with through legal channels,” he said, without providing further details.
UK shipbroker Clarksons lists the owner as Efemay Denizcilik of Turkey.
The master had requested the evacuation of all 12 crew members on Wednesday.
A photo of the vessel had showed it down by the stern.
Divers spotted near ship
El Hajj told TradeWinds on Wednesday the crew had “noticed some divers near the vessel before the explosion”.
The Togo-flag ship, carrying a cargo of cement, was waiting to enter the Bystroe Canal in Romania.
The vessel was reporting on AIS that it was destined for Izmail in Ukraine.
There has been no AIS update since Wednesday.
Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Wednesday that the sea mine theory was “closer to the truth” than others such as technical malfunction, according to the Financial Times.
The defence ministry is investigating.
Navigation on the Danube has not been disrupted, as the vessel was several miles offshore at the time of the blast, Ciolacu added.
Romania’s naval authority had initially said there was no indication of a mine being involved, instead positing that a blast may have taken place in the engine room.
Ukrainian authorities have declined to comment.
Earlier in September, the Romanian government dismissed but later confirmed Ukrainian reports that Russian drone debris had fallen on its territory.
