The 70 meter long self-propelled barge Noorderlicht sank on the Rhine River near a lock between Amerongen and Laurik, Netherlands. An exhaust pipe had broken in the engine room allowing water to flood into the vessel. The stern of the Noorderlicht partially sank while the bow remained above water. A patch was placed over the leak and the pumps were to dewater the vessel before it can be towed to a nearby shipyard. No reports of injuries.
The 189 meter long, 53565 dwt bulk carrier Marine Stars ran aground in the Dardanelles near Çanakkale and Kilitbahir, Turkey. The Marine Stars had dropped anchor after suffered engine failure in the narrow section of the Strait. However, the anchor dragged and the vessel drifted aground. No reports of injuries. A tug was dispatched to the scene to help refloat the Marine Stars. No reports of damage or pollution released.
On August 17, 2014, a severe storm struck Fremantle, Australia. In the port the 200 meter long car carrier Grand Pioneer and the 149 meter long, 18762 dwt general cargo vessel AAL Fremantle were moored alongside the north quay. Crews were busy unloading cars from the Grand Pioneer as the winds picked up. The winds increased as gusts topped over 122 kph. The crew had just completed unloading vehicles when the stern mooring lines of the Grand Pioneer snapped. At the same time, the bowlines of the AAL Fremantle snapped. Both vessels pushed by the wind swung out into the harbor. The AAL Fremantle allided with the nearby rail bridge. The Grand Pioneer struck the 65 meter long, 1639 dwt bunker tanker Parmelia 1 which was moored near the bridge. Both the bridge and vessels sustained damage. Authorities closed traffic to the bridge until it could be inspected. No reports of injuries or pollution released.
