Was the shaft locked deliberately for the tow? Is it done to reduce drag?

Hi Neil, thanks very much for your reply - always keen to hear first hand information from the Man on the Spot! & naturally can't wait to see more of your great images. Towage & casualties always arouse a bit of morbid fascination - but then , it's human nature, and makes for interesting photos.
I can see from your pic that she was sheering about a bit from the angle of dangle of the tow wire.
Keep up the good work - towing, AND more importantly, photography :-)
Regards, Rick

Hi, Rick, thanks for the information. I tried not think too much about her after I let go the tow!
We left OPL Colombo on New Years Day, 1.1.11 and arrived in Qindao on (Chinese New Years Eve) 2.2.11. Had a bit of a job persuading the pilot and assisting tug to work so close to the holidays.
The shaft was locked for the tow but they had steering; however, she was still sheering about quite a bit.
Regards,
Neil

Great image nmj - busy weather! That is a long hard slog of a tow - 4,000 miles with a lifeless tanker on the end of the line, it must have been quite a challenge to keep 'on course'.
An unusual conversion from tanker to bulk carrrier. Converted as recently as October 2008 by Cosco's Nantong Shipyard, and it would seem, not a complete success!
Owned by Cosco, and reported as broken up in China around July 2011.
Regards, Rick