A Maersk containership, the Mumbai Maersk, has run aground off the German island of Wangerooge in the North Sea.
The 399-meter-long, 59-meter-wide ship was on route from Rotterdam to the German port city of Bremerhaven when it ran aground around on Wednesday at 11 p.m..
Germany’s Central Command for Maritime Emergencies said Thursday morning the first attempt to tow the ship into deeper water with two multipurpose vessels and five tugs proved to be unsuccessful.
Maersk said in a statement that additional tugboats have been deployed and that a new attempt to free the Mumbai Maersk is planned for today.
The Danish shipping giant confirmed that all crew members are safe, that there is no pollution and that there is no evidence of a hull breach.
Translation by Giles Foster
