The 15,500-teu Emma Maersk (built 2006) arrived at Fincantieri’s repair yard in Palermo, Sicily onMonday according to Fairmount Marine.

Theship left Port Said in Egypt on Sunday February 17 under the tow of the tugFairmount Alpine for the 1,300 mile voyage.

On1 February the Emma Maersk’s engine room flooded during a Suez Canal transitwith the cause linked to the failure of stern thruster propeller blades, whichcracked steelwork, damaging the watertight integrity of the ship.

Atthe time of the incident the Fairmount Alpine just happened to be in theeastern Mediterranean area and was promptly mobilized to Port Said.

Immediaterepairs to the ship were carried out in Port Said, but the full extent ofdamage to the engines will now be assessed once the ship has been drydocked.

Earlierthis month Maersk Line’s head of ship management, Palle Laursen, said the once theship gets to the repair facility it will still be several months before repairsare completed.

Maersk Line says that it has been able to reorganise its fleet without charteringreplacement tonnage for the damaged ship.

The9,660-teu 48Y-Butterfly is replacing Emma Maersk on the AE10 Asia-Europeservice until she is ready to re-enter service.

TradeWindsrecently reported that the engine room flooding is expected to not only hithull, cargo and P&I but also impact on reinsurers.

Theship’s underwriters are said to be steeling themselves for a big insuranceclaim despite Maersk retaining a substantial amount of hull risk since thestart of last year.

The insurancemarket is anticipating a big general average claim, although this has not yet beendeclared.

The Emma Maersk has P&I and freight,demurrage and defence cover from the Britannia Club.