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Emergency support · Breakdown response

Emergency marine engineer, on the way.

Engine or generator failure with guests aboard, a charter starting or a berth to leave? Call and speak directly to a marine diesel engineer — immediate remote diagnosis, honest advice on what the crew can do now, and rapid mobilisation to the vessel.

Call
+31 6 20743967
WhatsApp
Photos and fault codes
Response
Advice immediately
Mobilisation
Europe-wide
Urgent

Vessel stranded or a departure at risk? Call +31 6 20743967 or message on WhatsApp. Describe the fault, the engine and where the vessel is.

First response

The first thirty minutes matter most

In a breakdown, the most valuable thing is not a van leaving a depot — it is a competent engineer thinking about your engine straight away. Most calls start with remote diagnosis: what the alarm actually means, which readings to take, what can safely be tested with the crew's own tooling, and whether the engine can be run at reduced load to get the vessel somewhere better. Sometimes that resolves it in an hour. When it does not, we mobilise knowing what the fault is and which parts to bring.

What we attend

Typical emergency callouts

  • Engine will not start or has shut down — protection trips, fuel supply, starting systems, sensor faults.
  • Overheating or loss of cooling — raw water failure, heat exchanger blockage, pump or belt failure, coolant loss.
  • Loss of power or forced load limit — turbocharger, fuel delivery, exhaust restriction, electronic derate.
  • Generator failure — total blackout risk, load acceptance failure, alternator or control faults. See generator repair.
  • Serious oil or coolant leaks — assessment of whether the engine can be run at all, and containment.
  • Post-grounding or rope-strike damage — drivetrain and alignment assessment before running the engine again.
  • Suspected internal damage — knocking, metal in the oil, sudden oil pressure loss. We advise on stopping and preserving evidence for insurers.
If there is metal in the oil, a sudden loss of oil pressure or a knock under load, stopping the engine is almost always the cheapest decision available. Call before you run it again.
Preparation

What to have ready when you call

InformationWhy it matters
Engine or genset make, model, serialDetermines parts, tooling and diagnostic access.
Running hoursPlaces the fault in the engine's life — wear or incident.
Exact alarm text and codesNarrows the circuit or system before travel.
When the symptom occursCold, hot, at idle, under load, at specific RPM.
What has been checkedAvoids repeating work the crew has already done.
Vessel location and berth accessTravel, crane and tooling logistics.
Departure deadlineDecides between a repair now and a temporary measure to make the passage.
Who calls us

Crew, managers, yards and agents

We are called by chief engineers and captains directly, by yacht management companies acting for owners, by shipyards that need a diesel specialist inside an existing job, and by agents and marine service intermediaries who need a reliable engineer at a vessel in a port where they have no one. Commercial operators use the same line. We are comfortable being the subcontracted specialist and equally comfortable running the whole job.

Emergency work covers Caterpillar / CAT, Cummins, MAN and MTU engines. Coverage detail on the service areas page. We are independent and not an authorised dealer of any manufacturer.

Questions we get asked

Frequently asked questions

Is there a 24/7 emergency number?

Call +31 6 20743967 or send a WhatsApp message with the fault, the engine type and the vessel location. Urgent cases are handled outside office hours; a message with details always gets a faster useful answer than a missed call alone.

How fast can you reach the vessel?

It depends on the port and on parts. For most Northern European and Mediterranean locations we mobilise within days, and remote diagnosis starts immediately. We will always tell you honestly whether a closer engineer would serve you better.

Can you help if the vessel is not in Europe?

We travel outside Europe on request, and we regularly support crews remotely worldwide — guiding the vessel’s own engineers through diagnosis and interim measures.

Can you get the vessel running temporarily so it can move?

Where it is safe, yes. Making a vessel safely mobile at reduced load and then completing the repair in a better location is often the right engineering and commercial call. Where it is not safe, we will say so clearly.

What does an emergency callout cost?

Emergency work is quoted per case, based on travel, engineer time and parts. You get an indication before we travel — no unlimited open-ended engagements.

Service enquiry

Tell us about the engine and the vessel.

Send the details below and you will hear back from an engineer, not a call centre. For a vessel that is stranded or on a tight departure slot, call +31 6 20743967 or message us on WhatsApp.

Direct line

Call now — an engineer will pick up, not a queue.

Have the engine model, running hours, the alarm text and the vessel location ready. If it is safer to send photos, message the same number on WhatsApp.

Superyacht Engine Service — powered by Marine Service Altena B.V.
+31 6 20743967 · info@superyachtengineservice.com
KvK 99330911 · Available for callout across Europe
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