The biggest challenge in towing Chelsea 3 to the Port of Burgas was the combination of adverse weather conditions and extensive damage to the vessel, which has several breaches in its hull and is more of a wreck than a ship, said Burgas Port Master Zhivko Petrov, who together with and Transport Minister Georgi Peev, welcomed the vessel as it entered the port early on Saturday morning.
According to Petrov, the main risk during the operation was that the vessel could sustain further structural damage and sink while being taken under tow and during the towing process. The most complicated and dangerous part of the operation was getting the teams on board. This had proved impossible the previous day due to weather conditions, but the weather improved yesterday, allowing the teams to board the vessel.
The operation involved two Border Police vessels, a tugboat operated by the Port of Burgas towing company, and personnel from the Maritime Administration and the Bulgarian Navy. Petrov thanked everyone involved in the operation, particularly Captain Todor Korunchev, who commanded the tugboat.
“Visually, the vessel has three breaches in its hull – one on the port side, one on the starboard side, and one at the stern. That is what can be seen from the outside. Everything else will have to be established through expert examinations,” the captain said.
Chelsea 3 is expected to be berthed at the Western Port terminal, after which expert inspections will be carried out to assess the vessel’s condition and determine the extent of the damage.
The operation to tow the motor vessel Chelsea 3, which had been attacked by drones, entered its main phase at 8.25 pm last night, the Ministry of Transport said reported.
On October 13, Prime Minister Rumen Radev reported new drone attacks against vessels in the Black Sea off the Bulgarian coast. The Maltese-flagged motor vessel Chelsea 3 was attacked 17 nautical miles east of Byala, with all 15 crew members rescued. Another vessel, HS Dignity, sailing under the flag of Guinea-Bissau, was struck by a drone and sank 17 nautical miles east of Shabla.
On Friday, the Sofia Military District Prosecutor’s Office announced that it had initiated pre-trial proceedings following a report containing allegations of a crime committed in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea, involving the vessel Chelsea 3.
Bad Weather, Severe Damage Were Biggest Challenges in Towing Chelsea 3, Burgas Port Master Zhivko Petrov Says 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-10-17 06:56:03
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