MV Azburg

History
NameAzburg
OwnerMSCO Global Ltd., Valletta
Port of registryPortsmouth, Dominica
BuilderFerus Smit Scheepswerf
Yard number299
Launched15 September 1995
Completed1995
IdentificationIMO number: 9102899
FateSunk by Russian shelling in Mariupol on 5 April 2022
General characteristics
TypeGeneral cargo ship
Tonnage6,353 GT, 9,085 DWT
Length130.65 m (428 ft 8 in)
Beam15.87 m (52 ft 1 in)
Draught7.45 m (24 ft 5 in)
Installed power5,200 bhp (3,900 kW)
Crew12

MV Azburg was a Dominica-flagged general cargo ship that was sunk by Russian shelling while in port at Mariupol, Ukraine, on 5 April during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. It was built in The Netherlands in 1995 as Kroonborg.

Description

Azburg was a cargo ship with a gross tonnage of 6,353 tons. The ship was 130 metres (430 ft) long and 15 metres (49 ft) wide, and its engines provided 3,450 KW of power.[1] At the time of its sinking, it had a total crew of twelve.[2]

History

The ship was built by the Dutch shipbuilding company Ferus Smit Scheepswerf at Hoogezand, The Netherlands in 1995 for the Dutch operator Wagenborg Shipping [nl] as Kroonborg and the first of their fleet to trade across the Atlantic.[3] Its name was changed to Azburg in 2013 when sold to the Turkish operator Albros Denizcilik ve Ticaret. In 2020 the ship was sold to a Maltese company, MSCo Global, without change of name.[1] MSCo Global is connected with the Ukrainian company Dneprtrans PC, of Kherson.[4]

Azburg arrived in the port of Mariupol on 23 February 2022, just before the outbreak of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which caused its inability to leave. At around 10 P.M. on 4 April, the vessel came under heavy fire from Russian artillery shells and missiles. One crewmember was injured, the engine room caught fire, and the pilothouse was destroyed. The fire began to spread, and the ship started to sink. Because of the unsafe conditions aboard Azburg, the captain issued a distress call and the Ukrainian Sea Guard helped to move the crew to nearby vessels. Azburg sank in the harbor shortly after the crew was evacuated.[2][5]

In response, the Commonwealth of Dominica Maritime Administration condemned the sinking of the ship and called for Russia to cease its attacks on maritime shipping in Ukraine.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b "Kroonborg". Marhisdata (in Dutch). Meppel: Stichting Maritiem-Historische Databank. Archived from the original on 8 November 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Cargo Ship Sunk by Russian Shelling at Port of Mariupol". The Maritime Executive. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
  3. ^ "From shortsea to deepsea shipping". Delfzijl: Royal Wagenborg. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  4. ^ "Azov Concord allowed to leave Mariupol". Insurance Marine News. Headcorn, England. 4 July 2022. Archived from the original on 16 July 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  5. ^ "Dominica-flagged vessel sinks in Mariupol after Russian attack". Ship Technology. 2022-04-06. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
  6. ^ "Dominica-Flagged Vessel Sinks in Mariupol After Russian Attack". The St Kitts Nevis Observer. 2022-04-06. Retrieved 2022-09-21.