The oil rig transporter Osprey remains in a bizarre holding pattern within the Algarve's offshore oil concession areas as environmental organisations wonder what the ship’s Captain is up to.
Reports on Monday indicated the vessel was heading to Rotterdam in the Netherlands with its single cargo of one sizeable oil rig.
Was weather to blame as the precarious-looking ensemble circles before heading up the Portuguese coastline to the Bay of Biscay, but other cargo ships have had no such hesitation as they head past the Osprey to points west.
Last weekend the Osprey had moved slowly west along the Algarve coastline at about 15 miles from the shore ending Sunday to the south of Olhão but Monday and Tuesday’s course was a gradual progress to the west with some circles along the way, a seemingly random course until one remembers the two Algarve offshore oil blocks Lagostim and Lagosta. Why is this enormous ship, 53,000 tons, circling within these controversial concession areas, or is it just chance?
Other cargo ships travelling in the shipping lane parallel to the coast all have been moving along with their loads, except the Osprey which, as it is able to be tracked online, has defied all predictions as it wimbles about on the ocean blue.
There was a determination to head west but as soon as the ship was off Sagres it turned around and headed east again on Tuesday.
The Osprey is allowed to anchor only in the Lagos area but has kept moving along, albeit slowly, at a cost estimated at between 50,000USD and 100,000USD per day.
On Tuesday evening the Osprey was heading back towards Spain but stopped to the south east of Olhão, with no bets being taken on its location tomorrow morning.
The conclusion of one old Olhão sea-dog is that the Captain either is lost, or under the affluence of inkerhol - or both.
