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Photo: James Brickwood/Sydney Morning Herald.

CYCA Member Marius Fenger a local hero

Sydney Harbour tugboat operator, marine engineer and CYCA Member, Marius Fenger, has wasted no time in influencing the local waterways since moving from Hobart to Darling Point in 2019. As one of 16 partners of the Australian-owned success story Engage Marine, he has been actively involved in the rapidly expanding company’s tugboat interests nationwide, with a special focus on the 30-strong local fleet that ensures the safe progress of ships within his home port.

Marius, skipper Brad Lucas and deckhand Alex Alsop have featured across news channels this week for their heroic efforts to prevent a disaster occurring on the South Coast when a disabled cargo ship threatened to get washed onto the rocks near the Royal National Park. The rescue has truly captured the hearts of the Australian public,

A lifetime of seamanship came to the fore for the trio on the tug Diamantina. Marius explained that the challenges were not posed solely by the size of the cargo ship Portland Bay but exacerbated by the sea state. Due to the disparity of the size of the two vessels and their respective oscillation in the waves, both ship and tug were completely out of sync.

The tug was in extreme danger alongside the ship as it could have gone under the turn of the bilge. And at the top of the crest of the wave, it could have ended up over the ship’s rail and on deck. The tug being 32-metres and 500 tonnes and the ship being 169-metres and 16,960 tonnes, this is indeed the story of ‘the little tug that could.’

In roughly 45 knots, the trio onboard were repeatedly passing the tow lines as they broke due to the shock load. Under such violent conditions , this was no mean feat as all our Members would know.

“It was hairy there for a moment” recounted Marius. We tried to be as careful as we could. Our tow line was only 70 metres long, roughly about a sixth of what it should have been. The line snapped four times. The crew did an amazing job in extremely difficult circumstances. We are usually in the Harbour, not outside. But when a ship is in trouble you have to go.”

And this is not their first sea rescue that has prevented an environmental disaster. Shortly after launching in 2019, Engage Marine came to the aid of the 270-metre oil tanker Densa Whale, carrying 121,000 tonnes of Nigerian crude off Jarvis Bay, receiving widespread commendations for their first-responder efforts.

It’s that kind of commendable approach to seamanship that is familiar to so many Members and staff at the CYCA. Marius is currently restoring Victory, a classic 1934 17-metre tugboat by Ernest Digby which he plans to have out on Sydney Harbour soon. Look out for her in the Pond. When not restoring this magnificence vessel, he is regularly seen onboard Digby’s classic 8-metre Defiance and Halvorsen’s Anitra V.

I think we all agree, Marius deserves a shout at the bar when you next see him.

How the Portland Bay ship was saved by an Australian three-man crew (smh.com.au)

The crew from the SL Diamantina: engineer Marius Fenger, ship’s captain Brad Lucas and deckhand Alex Alsop. CREDIT: PETER RAE | SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

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