8/10/2023

EUROPA is back in her natural element: in the water! The crew has been hard at work, ensuring that every detail is in place for your comfort and safety. Bureau Veritas has been there every step of this journey and gave their green light to continue our adventures. They have even joined our ship for the first hours at sea again.  

On September 29th we have casted off the mooring lines and set sail from Cape Town! The seas are favorable, and the winds are guiding us towards our destination Montevideo, where the long anticipated Antarctic season of 2023/2024 will commence! 

17/9/2023

Dear Bark EUROPA Community,

We are thrilled to share that our beloved lady EUROPA is back where she belongs - in the water!

This achievement results from an incredible collaborative endeavor, and we cannot express our gratitude enough to everyone involved, from our dedicated crew to the expert salvage teams, and all of you who have stood by our side throughout this journey.

The construction of our 112-year-old vessel is far more robust than modern shipbuilding rules require, and consequently, she weathered this incident like a tank. These past weeks, all damaged areas have received the necessary repairs, accompanied at each step by surveyors from our classification society, Bureau Veritas, to ensure EUROPA is repaired as strongly as the day she was built.

With EUROPA safely back in the water, we will continue the remaining tasks and organize shakedown sails to make sure all is inspected.

And very soon we will start our crossing over the Atlantic Ocean to South America, you can join us on this 45-day ocean crossing starting on the 29th of September for a special sailing fare to celebrate EUROPA’s return to the ocean! Or sign up for the following adventures in Antarctica or for our new route through the Pacific in 2024!

Will you discover the Chilean Channels, Easter Island, French Polynesia, Fiji, and other remote destinations in the South Pacific with us? Stay tuned for our upcoming adventures through our social media channels & website. We can't wait to welcome you back on board EUROPA!

All the best
Team Bark EUROPA

25/7/2023

Dear sailors,

We are happy to inform you that the righting of the ship has been successful. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of everyone on site EUROPA has been righted again by Resolve Marine on Tuesday, July 25th. The lifting process started at 12:30 in the morning, and early in the evening our strong and beloved lady EUROPA was upright again.

"We are glad to have the team of Nick Sloane and his company Resolve Marine on board for this project. The collaboration with Resolve Marine is going very well and we are thankful for the technical skills and innovative design that Nick Sloan and his team brought to the table.

In challenging times like these, the strength and commitment of our EUROPA family become very clear. Words can’t express our gratitude for the support of our crew and the numerous companies who have stood by our side to find a fitting solution for our ship.

Our ship will be placed back on the shipyard's transport equipment and very soon we will be transferred to the repair lane to avoid any further delays. Once in the repair lane we will proceed with the necessary repairs as well as complete the remaining scheduled maintenance tasks."

Leentje Toering – Director of Bark EUROPA

In the following weeks, more EUROPA crewmembers will join the shipyard in Cape Town to carry out the needed repair works and restart the jobs that could not be finished at the end of May. We are working closely with Bureau Veritas and other experts to get our ship back in perfect shape again.

We remain positive on resuming our operations and returning to sea by September. After a trial voyage and receiving the green light from all experts, we will make our way back to South America and start the Antarctica season as planned, followed by new adventures exploring the Pacific Ocean.

Once again we want to express our deepest gratitude for the support you have shown us, it has been of massive help during these challenging months. We remain committed to keeping you updated on our way back to the ocean.

Photos by Amelie Marchand

18/7/2023

Dear sailors,

We want to provide you with an update on the latest developments from the shipyard in Cape Town.

Firstly, we are relieved to inform you that the injured sailor has safely returned home and is currently focusing on his recovery. We are pleased to report that he is doing well under the circumstances.

At the shipyard, our plan to right EUROPA is in full swing. The lifting gantry which will be used to right EUROPA is currently being assembled. Each day we see increased movement around the ship, making visible progress in our restoration efforts.

Once the righting of EUROPA is completed, EUROPA will be placed back on the shipyard's transport equipment and transferred to the repair lane. There we will proceed with the necessary repairs as well as complete the remaining scheduled maintenance tasks.
We are focusing on what is within our control and utilizing the valuable time available. While Resolve Marine is preparing the gantry, a small crew is busy with assisting them where needed and started with sanding, varnishing and to paint sloopy in preparation for the upcoming Antarctic season.

We are working hard to ensure that EUROPA is fully prepared and in optimal condition for her journey back to South America. Our course will lead us straight to South America from Cape Town, promising an extraordinary sailing adventure spanning over 50 days at sea. We encourage you to subscribe through the link in our bio to stay informed on this specific voyage. By subscribing, you will be the first to know when bookings for this sailing adventure become available.

As we patiently await further updates on our dear EUROPA, our determination remains steadfast to hoist her flag high atop the tallest mast. Until EUROPA is ready to set sail on new adventures, her flag will continue to wave proudly in the wind on our little sloopy.

Thank you for your unwavering support, we will keep you informed of any significant developments through our social media channels and website.

Together, we will navigate through these challenging times and emerge stronger than ever before.

Fair winds and smooth seas,
Team Bark EUROPA

29/6/2023

Dear EUROPA community,

We would like to provide you with an update on the progress of getting our beloved lady EUROPA back to sailing the world's oceans once again.

We are working closely together with Resolve Marine, a renowned salvage company, to execute the plan effectively in the upcoming month. The plan is to right EUROPA with the help of a lifting gantry and putting the ship back on the transport equipment of the shipyard to transfer EUROPA back to a repair lane. The last technical calculations are being processed and the first physical action around the ship can be seen.

Once EUROPA is back in a repair lane we can proceed with the required repairs and finish the remaining scheduled maintenance tasks. The plan is to be back in the water by September.

We will make sure she is fully prepared, equipped, and in optimal condition to embark on new sailing adventures. Our goal is to cross the ocean back to South America directly from South Africa by the end of September to start the Antarctica season of 2023/2024 as planned. Following the Antarctica season, our plan is to sail into the Pacific. Keep an eye on our social media and website for our new plans on the horizon!

We thank you for your patience and understanding and your unwavering support. We will continue to provide updates as we progress towards EUROPA's return to the sea.

All the best,

Team Bark EUROPA

12/6/2023

Dear Bark EUROPA community,

We want to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude for the incredible support you have shown us during this challenging time. Your words of encouragement and unwavering support have been a source of strength for all of us at Bark EUROPA.

We would like to provide you with an update on the progress of getting our beloved lady EUROPA back to doing what she does best, wandering the worlds’ oceans.

First and foremost, we are pleased to inform you that the injured sailor has been discharged from the hospital and is currently focusing on his recovery. The majority of the crew has returned to their homes to rest and recharge until we can continue with the maintenance and repairs. A small team remains on-site in Cape Town, working in collaboration with a group of experts for a plan to upright EUROPA.

Over the past few weeks, the ship has been stabilized and we have been evaluating various plans and strategies to safely restore EUROPA to an upright position with the most suitable solution for the ship. This task presents challenges due to the limited space available.

The objective is to bring EUROPA back into a repair lane, where repairs can be carried out to restore the incurred damages and to continue the still outstanding jobs of our scheduled maintenance. The extent of the damages and required repairs can only be assessed once the ship is upright. 

Unfortunately we will not be sailing to Europe this Summer, as we need the time for the repairs and the remaining scheduled maintenance tasks. By September Bark EUROPA will be back in the water and we will cross the ocean from South Africa back to South America by the end of September, where we will continue our Antarctica Expeditions as planned followed by our Pacific plans in 2024. 

As soon as the Ocean Crossing from South Africa to South America and Pacific voyages open for bookings, we will update you through our newsletter, if you have not yet subscribed you can do so here.

We would like to take this moment to extend our deep appreciation to all the experts who are working alongside us, as well as to every member of the EUROPA community. Your unwavering support gives us the strength to navigate through these challenging times.

As soon as we have more information to share, we will provide another update through our social media channels and website.

All the best,

Team Bark EUROPA

23/5/2023

Dear sailors,

We want to express our gratitude for all the kind words, support and understanding you have shown over the past weekend. The strength and unity of the Bark EUROPA community has been truly inspiring and we felt strengthened to keep our head high, weather this storm and navigate through troubled waters.

We want to give you an update on the current situation.

The injured sailor is receiving the necessary medical care and is doing well, given the circumstances. In the last days, hard work has been done to stabilize the ship and a thorough investigation has been started to determine the following steps to get our lady EUROPA sailing again.

Once again, we extend our sincere gratitude for your support and kind words. Your messages of encouragement have been a source of strength for the entire Bark EUROPA team. We are truly grateful to have such a remarkable community standing by our side.

We remain committed to keeping you informed through our social channels and website. Your continued support and understanding while we navigate through the upcoming period are deeply appreciated.

If you have any questions we kindly ask you to contact our officeteam at info@barkeuropa.com.

20/5/2023

Dear Bark EUROPA Community,

We regret to inform you that an accident has occurred during the maintenance period in Cape Town, resulting in Bark EUROPA partly falling over while attempting to be placed back into the water from the drydocks.

We want to assure you that the safety and well-being of our crew and guests are our utmost priority. All crew members have safely left the ship, one sailor has been injured. He is currently in stable condition and receiving appropriate medical care.

The extent of the damage to the ship is still being assessed, and at this moment, we cannot determine the exact timeline for resuming our sailing operations. We want to assure you that our crew are working diligently to addressing and resolving the situation, to determine the necessary steps to move forward.

Please be assured that we are dedicated to getting our lady Bark EUROPA back to full operational capacity as soon as possible.

We will continue to provide updates via our media channels and are committed to maintaining transparency throughout this process.

We thank you for your continued support and understanding during the upcoming period. Should you have any urgent concerns or inquiries, please reach out to our office team at info@barkeuropa.com.