Case Studies
This section contains summaries of major spills from 1967 to the present day, looking at the incident, response, our involvement together with selected bibliographies and web links, where available.
USHUAIA, Antarctic Peninsula, 2008
The ice strengthened cruise vessel, USHUAIA ran aground on 4th December 2008, while sailing through Bahia Guillermina, along the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. At the time of grounding the vessel was carrying 89 passengers and 42 crew. USHUAIA was carrying a total of 440 tonnes of Marine Gas Oil at the time of the grounding.
Categories: Antarctica, Oil, Cruise Ship, Planning & operations
HEBEI SPIRIT, Republic of Korea, 2007
On 7th December 2007, the VLCC HEBEI SPIRIT (146,848GT, built 1993), laden with 209,000 tonnes of four different Middle Eastern crude oils, was struck by a crane barge whilst at anchor off Taean, South Korea.
Categories: Korea, Oil, Oil Tanker, Asia, Response Techniques, Environmental effects, Economic effects, Disposal, Compensation, Dispersants
COSCO BUSAN, USA, 2007
Whilst leaving the port of San Francisco in thick fog on 7th November 2007, laden container vessel COSCO BUSAN allided with a pier of the Oakland Bay Bridge causing a tear in the vessel’s hull in the way of two bunker tanks and the discharge of ~200 tonnes of bunker fuel.
Categories: United States, Oil, Container Ship, Americas
MSC NAPOLI, United Kingdom, 2007
On Thursday 18th January 2007, the container vessel MSC NAPOLI (4,668 TEU, 53,409 GT, built 1991) suffered structural damage while transiting the English Channel in heavy weather. The decision was taken to beach the vessel on a sand bar in Lyme Bay near Seaton, Devon. Once aground, the vessel developed a list, causing the loss of 117 containers. Both the UK and French coastlines were affected by the pollution with the main contamination from tarballs and debris from lost containers washing ashore, some of which was contaminated by oil.
Categories: United Kingdom, HNS, Oil, Container Ship, Europe
SOLAR 1, Philippines, 2006
On 11th August 2006, the tanker SOLAR 1, chartered by Petron Corporation and carrying approximately 2,000 tonnes of intermediate fuel oil, encountered problems in rough seas and sank in the Guimaras Straits, some 10 nautical miles south of Guimaras Island, Republic of the Philippines.
Categories: Philippines, Oil, Oil Tanker, Asia, Environmental effects
SAMHO BROTHER, Taiwan, 2005
On 10th October 2005, the chemical tanker SAMHO BROTHER was involved in a collision with the container vessel TS HONGKONG, 9 nm North West of Hsinchu, Taiwan. SAMHO BROTHER was carrying a cargo of 3,136 tonnes of benzene, 65 tonnes of intermediate fuel oil and 16 tonnes of marine diesel as bunker fuel.
Categories: Taiwan, HNS, Oil, Chemical Tanker, Asia
SELENDANG AYU, United States, 2004
On 7th December 2004, the Malysian bulk carrier SELENDANG AYU suffered engine failure whilst en-route from Seattle, USA to Xiamen, the People's Republic of China, and ran aground off Skan Bay in Unalaska Island, Alaska. Shortly after the grounding, the vessel broke in two as a result of the severe weather.
Categories: United States, Oil, Bulk Carrier, Americas
ROCKNES, Norway, 2004
On 19th January 2004, the specialised bulk carrier ROCKNES (17,765 GT; 2001 built) laden with a cargo of rock ran into difficulties near Bergen, Norway and capsized, claiming the lives of 18 crew members. The vessel had on board 466 tonnes of Intermediate Fuel Oil 380 and 78 tonnes of marine diesel as well as lubrication oils.
Categories: Norway, Oil, Bulk Carrier, Europe
TASMAN SPIRIT, Pakistan, 2003
The Maltese tanker TASMAN SPIRIT grounded at the entrance to Karachi Port, Pakistan in the early hours of 27th July 2003. The vessel was carrying 67,800 tonnes of Iranian Light crude oil destined for the national refinery in Karachi.
Categories: Pakistan, Oil, Oil Tanker, Asia, Environmental effects