THE 8,450 TEU container ship, Maersk Sana which was stranded in the Atlantic for three weeks is finally on the move.

The Maersk Sana lost propulsive power after an engine room explosion which injured three seafarers on April 28, and is now under tow, bound for the Bahamas, according to UK's Seatrade Maritime News.

The powerful Norwegian tug, Sea1 Ruby, is understood to have taken the 21-year-old container ship in tow following an extended period during which the laden vessel was 'safely adrift at sea' in the western Atlantic, according to owner Maersk.

The April 28 engine room explosion injured three seafarers. Two were not seriously hurt but Maersk said in its latest statement that a third crew member 'who was transported to a hospital in the US remains in stable but critical condition and is receiving the best possible care'.

The incident raises questions about the supply of powerful seagoing tugs on the US eastern seaboard.

Insurers must have been consulted and subsequently agreed to Maersk's 'first time right' strategy in which it said that finding the right tug, hired on a long voyage from Europe, rather than the closest vessel, was to be its chosen strategy.