THE tanker sector's good safety record has suffered a blow with a spate of incidents/accidents in the past couple of weeks.
In one, the Tb Marine managed 2003-built Handysize tanker 'Alia' carrying a cargo of fuel oil from Malta to Gothenburg caught fire in the North Sea 64 miles west of Hvide Sande, Denmark following an explosion in its engine room on October 20, according to TankerOperator.
There were no injuries to the crew, nor any oil spills reported at the time. According to Marine Traffic, she is currently under tow to Rotterdam having been disabled by the fire.
One day earlier, the 6,285 dwt chemical tanker 'Jo Spirit' ran aground in the South Shore Canal of the St Lawrence Seaway, near Montreal resulting in shipping traffic being blocked for several hours before the tanker was refloated.
The vessel was said to have sustained minimal damage and there were no injuries or pollution reported.
In another incident, the 1994-built 3,229 dwt chemical tanker 'Pazar' lost power and suffered water ingress about 70 nautical miles off Varna in the Black Sea.
The crew tried to pump out the water and informed the shipowner, who requested assistance from Bulgarian authorities. A containership, which was in vicinity, sent a pump and assisted in de-watering but the salvage operation was unsuccessful and the crew was forced to close the flooded engine room.
The vessel was due to be towed to Turkey and according to the authorities there were no injuries or pollution during the accident.
Earlier, the Suezmax 'Tokyo Spirit' was refloated following her grounding off Cascais, near Lisbon while in ballast. She was towed to a repair yard and there was no environmental damage reported from the incident.
In Japan, the 4,965 dwt chemical tanker 'Sulphur Garland' collided with 3,394 dwt product tanker 'Wako Maru No 2' about 10 miles off Shimonoseki, Japan. Both ships suffered damage during the incident and there was oil leak from 'Wako Maru No 2', which was contained by oil booms to restrict pollution. No one was hurt.
TANKERS
03 November 2015 - 22:16
Tanker safety record tarnished by several incidents
THE tanker sector's good safety record has suffered a blow with a spate of incidents/accidents in the past couple of weeks.
TANKERS
03 November 2015 - 22:16
Tanker safety record tarnished by several incidents
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