Thanks Jan for this recent additional info regarding this vessel.

Last information: the captioned tug PACIFIC RESCUER has disappeared without informing the authorities in Colombo. Probably the owners of the tug left Sri Lankan waters illegally while under arrest by the Sri Lankan Flag administration. This must have happened earliest 2008 or later...

Thanks Holger,Miraflores,Willi,Jan Ove and last but not least my good friend from over the Med:Jadran. Thanks to you all all the "secrets" of this picture taken 35 years ago by me with a small camera have been revealed, which goes to show what cooperation between members of this wonderful site will achieve.

@ Juergen & Willi,
Thank you both very much !

I have herewith found your excellent presentation of some event facts from the past time (late 70s).
The issue & role of the ship TOMMY II in this whole event ref Tugs & Pilot boats for Libya is herenow fully clarified & concluded.
With very best regards/Jadran

PS
1) Very much interesting & good documentary photos (3 pics in the link) of the capsized ship TOMMY II by Sulina, Romania on the Danube delta.
Thank you Willi !!
2) The TUGS & PILOT BOATS for Libya, seen on this photo that are loaded onto the pontoon Seeponton 3, were built at SHIPYARD APATIN, Apatin, Serbia (then YU) on the Danube river.
3) Once again, last but not the least, all the thanks to Emmanuel for providing this extraordinary interesting photo onto the ShipSpotting site, and enabling all of us to create this 'mega thread' of comments & explanations!

@jadran

Willi had uploaded 3 Links from the ship yesterday:

http://nok-schiffsbilder.de/uploads/schiff/16274.jpg
http://nok-schiffsbilder.de/uploads/schiff/16273.jpg
http://nok-schiffsbilder.de/uploads/schiff/16276.jpg

Rgds.
Juergen

I have passed over my files, and indeed, TOMMY had capsized in the Danube delta, Romania (that matches with Sulina, Romania mentioned by Juergen).
I always thought she was at that moment transporting barges being transverse loaded onto the ship's main deck (she was primarily designed & converted for this purpose); didn't suppose that she was transporting tugs & pilot boats.

: anyhow, still awaiting reconfirmation from Juergen to clarify this issue in final.

Great photo, thanks for sharing !!!. ALBATROS was renamed to PACIFIC RESCUER and laid up in Colombo/Sri Lanka in the end of 1993,tracks of the vessel end in the late 2000....has somebody an idea of the fate?

@ Juergen, was the converted, from bulker, ship's name maybe TOMMY or TOMMY I ??

: TOMMY (I) was converted at shipyard Viktor Lenac, Rijeka, Croatia (then YU) around 1977/78 for primarily barge & also other vessels transport (to be loaded transverse on the ship), and after redelivery into service soon capsized (on her first or second voyage !!).

No, it's a small protected room for all the pumps needed.

Thank you Juergen for that extensive info on the SEE PONTON 3. I always had the impression that she was self propelled with outboard engines like the hopper barges constructed in the 70s at MDD. So the superstructure on the aft or was it for'd part of the vessel was it used as crew quarters?

Some more infos about the Seeponton 3 from my frien Willi who was crew member and eyewitness on board tug Albatros.
The ponton was non self propelled, built in 1975 at Gustav w. Rogge yard in Bremerhaven for Bugsier/Hamburg, pontoon was floatable like the Dockwise ships.
DWT: 9400 To.
GRT: 4893
L: 91,54 m
B:20.03m Breite
During a salvage operation at the Portuguese Coast drifted
ashore, declared as total loss, towed to Bremerhaven and scrapped.

Some infos for the older spotter who need extrmly thick glasses:
The small pusher tugs and pilot vessels were built in former Yugoslavia for several Ports in Lybia, transported to Sulina to be shipped with a rebuilt bulk carrier to its final destination, but the bulker capsized, the small vessel fell into the water. Tug Albatros with pontoon were ordere to Sulina to transport the tugs to Lybia but within 1 day the temperature fell down from +10° to -30 °C, the water in the tugs became ice und the hulls of the tugs cracked. But the tug proceeded to Misurata where the Authorities seized the ship. After abt. 14 days of negotion the tug lifter anchor and left Lybian territories without permission, destination Valetta. Another 14 days later the tug was ordered to Lybia again where they were seized again, for another 2 month. After 1 month half of the crew could leave the tug, another 1 month later the ship was freed after long negotians.
I hope you can now understand the circumstances a little bit.

Rgds.
Juergen

Danke willi,great links regarding regarding the SEE PONTON 3.

"ALBATROS" SEEPONTON 3"
http://nok-schiffsbilder.de/uploads/schiff/16664.jpg

Rumänien Donaudelta 1977/78| Bergung des Bulkis "TOMMY II" Im Einsatz Bergungschlepper "ALBATROS" und "HEROS" sowie Bergungskrahn "ROLAND"
http://nok-schiffsbilder.de/uploads/schiff/16274.jpg
http://nok-schiffsbilder.de/uploads/schiff/16273.jpg
http://nok-schiffsbilder.de/uploads/schiff/16276.jpg

Hi miraflores, first of all thank you for the info, have you any info re the pontoon SEE PONTOON 3 ?. Now regarding the publication of the photo by your friend ,tell him to go ahead,just acknowledge my name.,I have already sent you my affirmative so once again tell your friend it is OK.regards.

Free translation:

Albatros, IMO 6525820
Built in 1965 at F. Schichau in Bremerhaven, Yard 1734 for Bugsier, Hamburg
LxBxD= 62,50 m, 11,13 m, 5,50 m
GRT0 871
Callsign: DNKU
Deutz main engine with 3000 HP
Bollard pull= 45 to
Laid up in Bremerhaven 1983, sold in June 1985 to Powell Shipping & Trading, London, renamed "Sea Res-cuer"
Sold in 1987 to North Atlantic Towage & Salvage, Valletta, renamed "Pacific Resucer"|
Arrived Colombo/Sri Lanka in 1990, chained there

I have sent you a question by PM, but still no answer.

Rgds.
Juergen

Sorry Willi,though your information looks very comprehensive,I dont know any German,so please if possible in english or if some can translate into english please post ,but still Thanks willi.

1a
Gebaut 1965 bei F. Schichau in Bremerhaven unter der Baunnummer 1734 für die Bugsier Reederei|1983 in Bremerhaven aufgelegt|25. Juni 1985 verkauft an Powell Shipping & Trading, London; Umbenannt in "Sea Rescuer"|1987 verkauft an North Atlantic Towage & Salvage, Valletta; Umbenannt in "Pacific Resucer"|
1990 in Colombo, Sri Lanka eingelaufen und seitdem an der Kette-->? | Länge: 62,50m| Breite: 11,13m| Tiefgang: 5,50m| BRT: 871|Rufz: DNKU|Maschine: Deutz Dieselmotor mit 3000 PSe/ 16 kn/ 45 t. Pfahlzug| Imo: 6525820

Hi Patagualino,a photo copied fom an old slide that slowly loosing its colour and having a lot of blemishes which I tried to erase, taken in 1978 with inferior equipment.I had to project the slide on to a white matt cardboard and photograph it with my digital camera.So though the result is not 100% at least it is being enjoyed by members...HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013...

Emmanuel.L....whatever the pedantic's say: A great photo,most rare.....
And you....Have a Happy New Year too. Best regards.

Sorry Holger, re my post of 2 hours ago it should read :Happy new year 2013 and NOT 2113.One hundred years foreward.I wonder what shape and propulsion ships would have..so once again Holger ...HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013....

Miraflores, the IMO you posted is for the tugboat,have you got one for the barge, from the picture she looks to has (or still is) a self propelled one with the engine/bridge on her aft part....HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013....

Thanks Holger for the name clarification,always ready with the exact info relating to ship names, by any chance you have'nt the names of these other 20 vessels in the photo ? It will be quite a gigantic feat.....HAPPY NEW YEAR 2113....

Hi Jadran,not only that but if you add all the other vessels in the picture ,you get 22 vessels in one picture,and this is not an aerial view,could be some sort of record, at least for Valletta harbour.

And the IMO is 6525820

Interesting shot of this Bremerhaven built vessel. But her name is ALBATROS.

Regards,
Holger

This was "heavy traffic": one (1) open sea tug + one (1) pontoon barge + two (2) pilot boats + fourteen (14) tug boats ..... all on their way to Libya!