Thurvel Valerius asked:

Which was the name of the punic commander who with his fastest ship forced the naval blockade placed from the Romans to a besieged punic harbour ? In which year happened this fact? No roman ship succeeded to catch up him. After the escape he took in turn the enemy making to raise to the sky from its sailors the addles of the ship.

Is the answer the Carthagian admiral, Adherbal, who, at the battle of Drepanum (Drepana) in 249 BC fled to open sea with his fleet ahead of the Roman ships? This act prevented the Carthagian fleet from being trapped within the harbor by the advancing Roman line of 123 ships under the command of Publius Claudius Pulcher. This commander opted to lead the ships from the back of the fleet, leaving the Roman ships in a confused state as the ships filed into the crowded harbor and then were ordered to return to open sea.

With the Roman ships in disarray, Adherbal attacked. Claudius retreated, and, when cornered, backed his ships against the shoreline. Some 93 Roman galleys were sunk or taken along with 20,000 prisoners. Only 27 ships managed to escape.

Information found at "Battle of Drepanaum - 249 BC," from Hannibal Barca and the Punic Wars Web site.