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.
NOVA, off Iran, 1985
On 6th December 1985 VLCC NOVA, carrying 188,000 tonnes of Iranian Light crude oil, collided with ULCC MAGNUM, in ballast, approximately in the Gulf of Iran. The collision damaged five cargo tanks on NOVA, resulting in a spill of approximately 70,000 tonnes.
Categories: Iran, Oil, Oil Tanker, Asia
CASTILLO DE BELLVER, South Africa, 1983
CASTILLO DE BELLVER, carrying 252,000 tonnes of light crude oil caught fire about 70 miles north west of Cape Town, South Africa on 6th August 1983.
Categories: South Africa, Oil, Oil Tanker, Africa
TANIO, France, 1980
On 7th March 1980 TANIO, carrying 26,000 tonnes of No. 6 fuel oil, broke in two during violent weather conditions off the coast of Brittany, France. As a result approximately 13,500 tonnes of cargo oil was spilled.
Categories: France, Oil, Oil Tanker, Europe, Economic effects
INDEPENDENTA, Bosphorus, Turkey, 1979
On 15th November 1979, Romanian tanker INDEPENDENTA collided with the Greek cargo ship EVRIALI, off Haydarpasa at the entrance to the Bosphorus, in Turkey. A part of the cargo of 93,800 tonnes of Libyan Es Sider crude oil spilled and caught fire.
Categories: Turkey, Oil, Oil Tanker, Asia
ATLANTIC EMPRESS, West Indies, 1979
On 19 July 1979 two fully loaded VLCCs (very large crude carriers), the ATLANTIC EMPRESS and AEGEAN CAPTAIN, were involved in a collision approximately 10 miles off Tobago during a tropical rainstorm. Both vessels began leaking oil immediately after the collision and both caught fire.
Categories: West Indies, Oil, Oil Tanker, Americas
AMOCO CADIZ, France, 1978
The tanker AMOCO CADIZ ran aground off the coast of Brittany on 16th March 1978 following a steering gear failure. Over a period of two weeks the entire cargo of 223,000 tonnes of light Iranian and Arabian crude oil and 4,000 tonnes of bunker fuel was released into heavy seas.
Categories: France, Oil, Oil Tanker, Europe, Environmental effects
HAWAIIAN PATRIOT, off Hawaii, 1977
On 23th February 1977, HAWAIIAN PATRIOT fully loaded with 99,000 tonnes of light Indonesian crude oil reported a leak of oil, approximately 300 miles west of Hawaii.
Categories: United States, Oil, Oil Tanker, Americas
ARGO MERCHANT, United States, 1976
ARGO MERCHANT ran aground on Nantucket Shoals, off Massachusetts, USA, on 15th December 1976, and over the next month spilled her entire cargo (28,000 tonnes) of Venezuelan No 6 fuel oil and cutter stock.
Categories: United States, Oil, Oil Tanker, Americas, Environmental effects
URQUIOLA, Spain, 1976
On 12th May 1976 the tanker URQUIOLA struck bottom on entering the port of La Coruña and began leaking oil. It was estimated that 100,000 tonnes of Arabian Light crude oil was spilt during this incident.
Categories: Spain, Oil, Oil Tanker, Europe, Dispersants
JAKOB MAERSK, Leixoes, Portugal, 1975
On 29th January 1975 the Danish tanker JAKOB MAERSK struck bottom while manoeuvring onto the berth with the aid of tugs at the port of Leixoes, northern Portugal. It was carrying ~88,000 tonnes of oil, comprising Iranian light crude oil cargo and bunker fuel oil when the incident occurred.
Categories: Portugal, Oil, Oil Tanker, Europe