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.
SILVER, Morocco, 2013
On 23rd December 2013, after encountering heavy weather, the chemical and product tanker SILVER grounded on a sandbank off the coast of Tan-Tan in South Morocco while entering the port of El Ouatia. The vessel was carrying 4,940 tonnes of Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) 380 as cargo, 190 tonnes of HFO 380 as bunker fuel and 24 tonnes of Marine Gas Oil (MGO).
Categories: Morocco, Oil, Product Tanker, Africa
ST THOMAS DE AQUINAS, Philippines, 2013
On 16th August 2013, RORO passenger vessel ST THOMAS DE AQUINAS collided with containership SULPICIO EXPRESS 7 on approach to port in Cebu, Philippines. The STA sank within 15 minutes, settling in 40m of water. The incident resulted in the loss of over 100 lives of the 813 passengers and crew on board STA at the time.
Categories: Philippines, Oil, RORO, Asia
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
OLIVA, Tristan da Cunha, 2011
In the early hours of 16th March 2011, bulk carrier OLIVA while on transit from Brazil to Singapore grounded on Nightingale Island, which is part of the Tristan da Cunha Island group in the South Atlantic.
Categories: United Kingdom, Oil, Bulk Carrier, Africa, Environmental effects
GDANSK, Venezuela, 2011
On 28th January 2011, the bulk carrier GDANSK was loaded with 35,100 MT of iron ore when she ran aground outside Ferrominera Port, Puerto Ordaz, on the Orinoco River in Venezuela. As a result of the grounding an unknown quantity of fuel oil was lost from the vessel.
Categories: Venezuela, Oil, Bulk Carrier, Americas
FU PING YUAN, Republic of Korea, 2010
The general cargo carrier FU PING YUAN was anchored at the Pukjangjaseo anchorage off Incheon Port, Republic of Korea, when she was involved in a collision with MV CS CRANE on 15th June 2010. The collision resulted in a 3-4m tear to the side of the engine room and, due to water ingress, FU PING YUAN started to sink.
Categories: Korea, Oil, General Cargo ship, Asia
BUNGA KELANA 3, Singapore/Malaysia, 2010
In the early hours of 25th May 2010, tanker BUNGA KELANA 3 (57,017GT, built 1998) collided with bulk carrier WAILY (15,272GT, built 1983) in the traffic separation scheme within the Singapore Strait, approximately 13km south east of Singapore.
Categories: Malaysia, Singapore, Oil, Bulk Carrier, Asia
EAGLE OTOME, United States, 2010
On 23rd January 2010, two barges and their towing vessel DIXIE VENGENCE, collided with the Singapore flagged oil tanker EAGLE OTOME, in the Sabine Neches waterway in Port Arthur, Texas. The collision resulted in a hole near the No. 1 starboard cargo tank of EAGLE OTOME and a spillage of an estimated 1,440 MT of light crude oil cargo.
Categories: United States, Oil, Oil Tanker, Americas