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Eiltank owes the BDS Harlingen and Bijma 120,000 Euros in salvage fees
The shipping company Eiltank owes the BDS Harlingen and Bijma 120,000 Euros in salvage fees for their assistance to the 'Ursula Valentin', actually sailing as 'Eiltank 231', which had caught fire while loading liquid bitumen at the chemical park in Farmsum on May 26, 2023. Both BDS and Bijma played a major role in ensuring the ship and its cargo were saved. The fire was caused by a mechanical defect. As a result, a tank overflowed, and bitumen ended up in the tank tunnel and the water. Not long after, a fire broke out on the ship. BDS and Bijma came to the rescue with the tug 'Gruno IV'. Because the companies believed they successfully provided that assistance, they were seeking €150,000 in salvage fees. Furthermore, they demanded over €27,000 for costs related to expert assessments, a court expert, and extrajudicial costs. Eiltank was of the opinion that no salvage fees were involved, and if an amount was due, it should be much lower. A judge already established in March 2025 that BDS and Bijma provided assistance and were therefore entitled to salvage fees. However, the question of how high the salvage fees should, be could not yet be answered at that time. To do so, it first had to be determined whether the assistance provided had favourable consequences for the tanker and/or its cargo. An expert from Marinsal Consultants investigated the matter. He concluded that the assistance provided had a favourable outcome, because it contributed significantly to the rescue of the ship and the cargo, which could be transferred to another ship in good condition. BDS and Bijma also brought the fire on board the 'Ursula Valentin' under control and extinguished it. In doing so, they prevented further damage, the expert concluded. However, the expert considered the claim that the ship would have sunk without the assistance provided to be excessive. Based on the expert report, Eiltank argued that the assistance provided by BDS and Bijma did not lead to the rescue of the ship. However, the judge found that the shipping company was drawing its own conclusions based on isolated findings in the report. Furthermore, according to the judge, Eiltank took positions that were diametrically opposed to the findings in the report. Therefore, BDS and Bijma were entitled to salvage wages. After weighing the work performed and the necessary calculations, the Rotterdam District Court ruled that Eiltank must pay the companies 120,000 Euros in salvage wages. The shipping company must also pay nearly 2,000 Euros in extrajudicial collection costs, as well as legal costs of around 14,000 Euros and over 12,600 Euros for the appointed court expert. Report on the fire with photo and video: https://www.schuttevaer.nl/nieuws/actueel/2023/05/26/uitslaande-brand-op-duitse-tanker-ursula-valentin-in-farnsum/
Allision on the Rhine
On Dec 21, 2019, the 'Ursula Valentin', 2504 ts (EU-No.: 5501570;), allided with the floating pier of the passenger m/v ‘Müllemer Böötche‘ in Colonia-Mülheim. The ship had been disabled due to a damage to a hydraulic fuel hose which had got lose, causing technical trouble so that the tanker which was sailing downstream veeered off course and hit the river quay and the pier with the ticket house which capsized and sank. The fire rescue attended with a boat. Floating debris was drifting downstream. The police launched an investigation. German report with photo: https://www.express.de/koeln/ticketbude-zerstoert-havarie-auf-dem-rhein--schiff-rammt-anleger-fuer--muellemer-boetche--33648488
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