Maersk has confirmed that an ocean-going rescue tugboat arrived at the location of the disabled container vessel “Maersk Sana” on May 16, and salvage towing operations are currently underway.

The 102,000 DWT (8,450 TEU) container ship has been safely drifting near Bermuda since suffering a malfunction on April 28. According to a Maersk spokesperson, the tug is towing the vessel to a safe harbor in the Bahamas, with arrival expected in the last week of May. “Our monitoring team will continue tracking weather and operational developments to ensure a safe and efficient salvage,” the spokesperson said.

AIS data shows the tug Sea1 Ruby (3,800 DWT) reached the ship, carrying technical personnel and spare parts. Sea1 Ruby, an anchor handling vessel registered in Norway and operated by Sea1 Offshore (formerly Siem Offshore), was built in 2010 and has a bollard pull of 310 tons.

The tug is en route to Freeport, Bahamas, approximately 900 nautical miles away, traveling at 5 knots, with an estimated 7-day transit. It previously stopped at Ponta Delgada in the Azores before heading to Maersk Sana.

Maersk pledged a full investigation into the incident: “We cannot provide further details until the investigation is complete. Safety is our highest priority and a key focus of the inquiry. We continue to communicate with customers to minimize supply chain disruption