On Wednesday 5th February, 2020 the Italian tugboat MACISTONE lost her tow – the deck cargo barge AMT MARINER and finished aground 5 nautical miles South of Bari near San Giorgio beach.
MACISTONE left Augusta, Sicily on Thursday 30th January (Above images are on mentioned day) towing the 91 metre long deck cargo barge AMT MARINER bound to Ravenna, Italy. Due to a storm with high swell the towage sheltered from the strong wind off the port of Manfredonia (Foggia) but in the afternoon, probably due to the prohibitive marine weather conditions, the crew decided to leave again. They failed to resume the route due northern winds and were pushed southwards and, being unable to enter the port of Bari due to weather conditions, were diverted to Brindisi. Underway, the barge broke loose and ended up running aground south of Bari between the Sant’Anna promenade and San Giorgio south of Puglia city. The MACISTONE with 7 crew sheltered inside Bari harbour – https://www.lagazzettadelmezzogiorno.it/gallery/photonews/1203611/bari-pontone-si-stacca-dal-rimorchiatore-e-si-arena-a-san-giorgio.html
MACISTONE was built in 1982 at Ancona, Italy by Cantieri Navale Tommasi with 196 GRT and 100 tons dwt.
AMT MARINER was built in 1977 at Kiel, Germany by HDW Kiel with 4,250 GRT and dwt of 10,220 tons as FAIRALP trading until January 2000. She was renamed AUGUSTEA BARGE DUE trading until March 2005.
Above Images as AUGUSTEA BARGE DUE entering Malta Drydocks back to 2002.
On Monday 24th February, AMT MARINER was salvaged and was towed to Bari Port berthing at Banchina 30.
Watermarked Photos are by Capt. Lawrence Dalli. NO PHOTOS can be used or manipulated without our permission. © All rights reserved. Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos – www.maltashipphotos.com
Published – Sunday 28th September, 2020.
