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.
BRAER, UK, 1993
Following engine failure, BRAER ran aground in severe weather conditions on Garth's Ness, Shetland on 5th January 1993.
Categories: United Kingdom, Oil, Oil Tanker, Europe
AEGEAN SEA, Spain, 1992
On 3rd December 1992 the Greek OBO carrier AEGEAN SEA, laden with 80,000 tonnes of North Sea Brent crude oil, ran aground during heavy weather while approaching the port of La Coruña on the Galician coast, North West Spain.
Categories: Spain, Oil, Bulk Carrier, Oil Tanker, Europe, Economic effects
KATINA P, off Mozambique, 1992
On 17th April 1992 the tanker KATINA P was disabled by a freak wave while transiting the Mozambique Channel. It was carrying 66,700 tonnes of heavy fuel oil en-route from Venezuela to the United Arab Emirates. The vessel lost hull plating amidships resulting in a release of approximately 3,000 tonnes of cargo.
Categories: Mozambique, Oil, Oil Tanker, Africa
ABT SUMMER, off Angola, 1991
On 28th May 1991, ABT SUMMER, fully laden with a cargo of 260,000 tonnes of Iranian heavy crude oil, experienced an explosion and a fire about 900 miles off the coast of Angola.
Categories: Algeria, Angola, Oil, Oil Tanker, Africa
HAVEN, Italy, 1991
On 11th April 1991 the very large crude carrier HAVEN, with 144,000 tonnes of Iranian heavy crude oil onboard, suffered an explosion while anchored in Genoa Roads.
Categories: Italy, Oil, Oil Tanker, Europe
AGIP ABRUZZO, Italy, 1991
On the 10th April 1991, the ro-ro ferry MOBY PRINCE collided with the tanker AGIP ABRUZZO (98,544 GT; built 1977) in the Italian port of Livorno. AGIP ABRUZZO was carrying around 80,000 tonnes of Iranian light crude oil at the time. The collision caused serious damage to the starboard aft tanks, resulting in the release of ~2,000 tonnes of crude oil and an unknown amount of Intermediate Fuel Oil (IFO) 380 bunkers.
ARAGON, off Madeira, 1989
On the 29th December, 1989, whilst under tow following steering gear failure, the Spanish tanker ARAGON suffered heavy weather damage some 360 miles off the coast of Madeira. This resulted in the loss of about 25,000 tonnes of Mexican Maya crude from the No.1 centre tank.
Categories: Portugal, Oil, Oil Tanker, Europe
KHARK 5, off Morocco, 1989
On 19th December 1989, Iranian tanker KHARK 5, carrying 280,000 tonnes of Iranian heavy crude oil, was damaged in a storm, exploded and caught fire approximately 150 nautical miles off the coast of Morocco, north east of the Canary Islands.
Categories: Morocco, Oil, Oil Tanker, Africa
EXXON VALDEZ, Alaska, United States, 1989
EXXON VALDEZ grounded on Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound, Alaska, on 24th March 1989. About 37,000 tonnes of Alaska North Slope crude escaped into the Sound and spread widely.
Categories: United States, Oil, Oil Tanker, Americas
ODYSSEY, off Canada, 1988
On November 10th 1988, the Liberian tanker ODYSSEY, almost fully loaded with a cargo of 132,157 tonnes of North Sea Brent crude oil, broke into two and sank in heavy weather in the North Atlantic 700 miles off the coast of Nova Scotia.
Categories: Canada, Oil, Oil Tanker, Americas