Lobo Marinho sailings to stop from 14 to 22 October for dry-dock repairs
Madeira GuideThe Porto Santo ferry will enter a Las Palmas de Gran Canaria shipyard on 15 October after a propulsion-system breakdown near Garajau.
Porto Santo Line expects no Lobo Marinho sailings from 14 to 22 October inclusive while the ferry undergoes an extraordinary dry-dock intervention following a breakdown near Garajau on 10 September, while sailing towards Funchal.
After an assessment by a SCHOTTEL Industries specialist, the company determined that the work requires a shipyard with dry dock. Lobo Marinho is scheduled to enter the ASTICAN shipyard in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on 15 October; Porto Santo Line said the choice was based on geographic proximity to reduce downtime and operational disruption.
Until the intervention begins, crossings will continue with an approximate duration of 3 hours and 15 minutes. The longer operation has been authorised by DNV and the Captaincy of the Port of Funchal and meets safety conditions, according to Porto Santo Line.
Measures during the interruption
- A container ship will be chartered to provide weekly supplies to Porto Santo.
- Free refrigerated containers will be available in Porto Santo for fresh-product storage.
- Binter will be contracted for 100 seats a day, 50 in each direction, subject to availability, for Porto Santo residents.
- Passengers booked for the interruption period can change their travel date at no extra cost or cancel for a full refund.
Porto Santo Line said the repair cannot be done in Madeira because the vessel must remain fully immobilised and dry. According to SCHOTTEL Industries, the fault was the collapse of the rod linking the propulsion shaft of the starboard machine; it described this as extremely rare and associated with factors external to the ship's normal operation.
With no other anomalies identified, the sources say it is possible the propeller struck an external object, such as tyres, cables, oars or other objects. Three similar tyre-related events have previously been recorded involving Lobo Marinho, including one in which a cable became entangled in the propeller. The component inspection was scheduled for 2028 under the classification society protocol, according to Funchal Notícias, and the intervention will fully replace the part.
Sources
Madeira Guide
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