- Norway-Flagged Passenger Ship Aground in Germany, No Injuries Reported
On 19th August, Norway-flagged passenger ship Nordstjernen ran aground in Rostock-Warnemünde, Germany, after suffering a mechanical failure. The ship was carrying 31 passengers at the time of the incident. No injuries or oil pollution were reported.
The incident occurred as the ship was reversing from its berth at the Warnemünde cruise terminal. According to reports, the engine failed to respond to forward commands, causing the vessel to strike the opposite embankment and ground. The crew was able to restore control and return the ship to its berth under its own power.
Following the grounding, the ship was towed by tug Fairplay 55 to Rostock for inspection and a technical safety survey. The incident had no impact on other cruise ship calls in Warnemünde. Initial findings suggest the grounding was caused by a malfunction in the pneumatic control system of the controllable-pitch propeller.
After completing inspections, the Nordstjernen was cleared to sail and departed Rostock on 20th August, continuing its voyage to Skagen, Denmark.
Nordstjernen is a 1956-built passenger ship that measures 88.78 metres in length, 12.64 metres in beam, and has a carrying capacity of 2,191 gross tonnage.
- Russian Drone Attacks Damage Tanker and Port Facilities in Ukraine
Russia launched a series of drone and missile attacks on Ukraine’s Odessa region on Tuesday night, continuing into the early hours of Wednesday, 20th August. The strikes targeted oil storage tanks, port infrastructure at Izmail, and a vessel moored at the port.
The attacks occurred at approximately 8:00 pm local time and involved up to 20 Shahed drones. According to the Russian news media sources, the Panama-flagged chemical tanker Excellion was struck during the raid. The tanker sustained heavy damage to its starboard superstructure, reportedly being disabled.
The strike also caused fires at port facilities and a fuel and energy storage site. The Izmail district administration confirmed strikes on port infrastructure, reporting one civilian injured and significant damage to critical facilities.
The Excellion, a 7,800-dwt tanker built in 2008 and operated by UK-based Makoil Group, had arrived from Sulina, Romania, on 19th August
- Inland Vessel Spills 10,000 Litres of Fuel Oil in Belgium’s Albert Canal
The Inland motor freighter River Drone 4, while passing through the Olen Lock in Belgium’s Albert Canal, ended up spilling around 10,000 litres of fuel oil on the evening of 20th August. A specialised company has been called in to contain the oil spill.
It is still unknown how the barge was damaged while passing through the Olen Lock in the canal. The barge ended up with a hole in its hull around 15 cm in diameter above the waterline. The perforation resulted in a fuel leak from the vessel, leading to around 10,000 litres of fuel oil spilling into the canal.
The oil spill is reported to have spread over a few kilometres. Shipping in the canal near the Olen Lock remained halted until midnight, when the oil spill had been sufficiently contained.
The River Drone 4 is a semi-autonomous barge that has been fitted for remote-controlled navigation. The vessel sail under the flag of Belgium that measures 106 metres in length and 11 meters in width.
