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.
FLINTERSTAR, Belgium, 2015
In the early hours of the morning of 6th October, while en route to Bilbao with a cargo of steel plates, the 6,577 GT general cargo ship FLINTERSTAR was involved in a collision with the 136,685 GT LNG carrier AL ORAIQ approximately six nautical miles off the coast of Zeebrugge, Belgium.
Categories: Belgium, General Cargo ship, Europe
ALFA 1, Greece, 2012
On 5th March 2012, the Greek tanker ALFA I (1,648 GT; built 1972) made contact with a submerged wreck in Elefsis Bay, Greece.
Categories: Greece, Oil, Oil Tanker, Europe, Compensation
TK BREMEN, France, 2011
On 16th December 2011, the general cargo ship TK BREMEN dragged anchor whilst in ballast under stormy conditions and sought shelter outside the port of Lorient. The vessel subsequently ran aground on the beach of Kerminihy, Erdeven, France resulting in a spillage of an estimated 70 tonnes of Intermediate Fuel Oil (IFO) 180.
Categories: France, Oil, Bulk Carrier, Europe, Response Techniques
GOLDEN TRADER, Denmark, 2011
On 10th September 2011, the bulk carrier GOLDEN TRADER collided with the fishing vessel VIDAR approximately twenty nautical miles off the western coast of mainland Denmark resulting in the spillage of approximately 205 tonnes of intermediate Fuel Oil (IFO 180).
Categories: Denmark, Oil, Bulk Carrier, Europe
ECE, off Channel Islands, UK, 2006
On 31st January 2006, the Marshall Islands-registered chemical tanker, ECE was on a laden voyage from Safi, Morocco to Ghent, Belgium with a cargo of 10,361 tonnes of Phosphoric Acid when she collided with the bulk carrier GENERAL GROT-ROWECKI off Alderney, Channel Islands, UK.
Categories: United Kingdom, France, HNS, Chemical Tanker, Europe
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
PRESTIGE, Spain/France, 2002
On 13th November 2002, the tanker PRESTIGE (81,564 DWT), carrying a cargo of 77,000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil, suffered hull damage in heavy seas off northern Spain. She broke in two on 19 November and 63,000 tonnes of oil were estimated lost from the PRESTIGE.
Categories: France, Spain, Oil, Oil Tanker, Europe, Economic effects
BALTIC CARRIER, off Denmark, 2001
On 29th March 2001, the chemical/product tanker BALTIC CARRIER collided with the bulk carrier TERN in the Baltic Sea between Germany and Denmark, 30 NM north east of Rostock. Neither vessel sank, but approximately 2,700 tonnes of heavy fuel oil was lost from BALTIC CARRIER’s cargo of some 30,000 tonnes.
Categories: Denmark, Oil, Product Tanker, Europe
ERIKA, West of France, 1999
The Maltese tanker ERIKA, carrying some 31,000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil as cargo, broke in two in a severe storm in the Bay of Biscay on 12th December 1999. About 20,000 tonnes of oil were spilled.
Categories: France, Oil, Oil Tanker, Europe, Disposal