- General Cargo Ship Runs Aground in Russia’s Sheksna River; No Injuries Reported
On 14th July, the Russian-flagged general cargo vessel Volgo Balt 106 ran aground at approximately the 288.4 nautical mile mark of the Sheksna River, near the industrial port in Vologda Region, Russia. No injuries or pollution were reported.
The incident occurred at around 20:45 local time while the vessel was operating along the Nizhny Novgorod–Cherepovets route. Efforts are currently underway to refloat the vessel with the assistance of a pusher tug.
An investigation has been launched by Russia’s North-West Transport Prosecutor’s office to determine the cause of grounding. Additionally, the Vologda Transport Prosecutor’s Office is conducting an inspection to assess compliance with maritime safety regulations.
Volgobalt-106 is a Project 2-95 vessel built in 1969 in Komárno, Slovakia. The ship is registered in St. Petersburg and is owned by Transmetal LLC.
- Inland Vessel Runs Aground in the Netherlands’ Eastern Scheldt Estuary
On the evening of 15th July, the inland vessel Robijn ran aground in the Eastern Scheldt estuary between Bruinisse and Sint Philipsland, within the waters of the Oosterschelde in the Netherlands. No injuries or pollution were reported in the incident.
The grounding is believed to have been caused by tidal conditions while the vessel was transporting cargo of biodiesel from Hansweet Port. Following the incident, the tug Zephyrus was deployed and established a tow line to the stranded vessel. Salvage operations commenced overnight.
The initial attempt to refloat the vessel was unsuccessful. However, a second attempt at 5:30 a.m. local time the following day succeeded in freeing the vessel. Robijn was subsequently towed to the Krammer Locks for further inspection to assess potential damage.
Robijn is the Netherlands-flagged inland vessel that measures a length of 110 metres and width of 11 metres.
- Iran Detains Tanker in Gulf of Oman for Fuel Smuggling
A foreign oil tanker was detained by Iran in the Gulf of Oman after it was allegedly found smuggling two million litres of fuel.
According to the Iranian news media, the chief justice of Hormozgan province announced on Wednesday the seizure of the oil tanker on charge of smuggling two million litres of fuel and lack of legal documents related to the cargo aboard the vessel.
The chief justice of Hormozgan stated that a legal case has been filed at the Jask county prosecutor’s office. A total of seventeen defendants including the captain and the crew members have been taken under custody for investigation and legal proceedings.
Authorities are conducting a detailed investigation into the seized tanker. This includes collecting documents to accurately estimate the volume of fuel onboard, taking samples and carrying out related tests, and verifying the vessel’s documentation.
Authorities have not disclosed the name of the oil tanker or its flag of registry.
- Fire Breaks Out Aboard Brand New Vessel “FWN Adriatic” in the Port of Antwerp
A fire broke out on the general cargo vessel FWN Adriatic on 16th July moored at Fifth Harbor Dock, Port of Antwerp, Belgium. Firefighting efforts are underway, and an alert has been issued in the nearby municipality of Merksem.
The Antwerp fire department received a report of the fire at around 10:30 a.m. local time. The vessel is reported to be carrying vehicles and plasterboard for drywall.
The fire is said to have produced a large amount of smoke. Firefighters arrived on the scene, accompanied by a firefighting boat. The amount of smoke was contained after the hatches of the vessel were closed by the firefighting crew. The firefighting crew is also using CO2 to combat the fire in order to limit the amount of smoke produced.
An alert was reportedly issued in the municipality of Merksem near the port of Antwerp due to the smoke from the fire blowing towards it. People were advised to close their windows and doors if they were experiencing discomfort from the smoke.
The FWN Adriatic is a Netherlands-flagged general cargo vessel that was launched at the end of May this year. The vessel has a length of 144 metres, a beam of 18 metres, and a gross tonnage of 8,364.
