On October 15, the 134 meter long, 13,045 dwt cement carrier Blue Ciment 1 (IMO: 9372640) ran aground on the Bosporus near Anadolu Hisarı, Turkey. The Blue Ciment 1 was en route to Zonguldak from Brevik when it suffered engine failure on the Bosporus. The cement carrier went adrift in the current until it ran aground. Authorities dispatched two tugs which were able to pull the Blue Ciment 1 free. The vessels proceeded to an anchorage in the Black Sea where the Blue Ciment 1 will undergo repairs. No reports of injuries, damage or pollution released.
On October 11, the 225 meter long, 75,026 bulk carrier Pan Viva (IMO:9453494) sustained stability issues in the Unalaska Bay off Unalaska Island, Alaska. The Pan Viva dropped anchor but struggled to remain stable with 58 knot winds and waves reaching 30 feet. The bulk carrier requested assistance and had four of the 21 crew on board airlifted off the vessel.
Photo: alaskapublic.org
Authorities are monitoring the Pan Viva with a tugboat and coast guard cutter on standby. Reports state that conditions are too dangerous to provide any assistance to the bulk carrier until conditions improve. There is concern that the Pan Viva may run ashore with the potential to release some 300,000 metric tons of fuel like the Selendang Ayu in 2004.
Photo: wikipedia
On December 8 2004, the 225 meter long 72,937 dwt bulk carrier Selendang Ayu (IMO:9145528) suffered engine failure and ran aground just north of Unalaska. With 60 mile per hour winds and 25 foot waves, helicopters attempted to rescue 24 crew off the vessel. Unfortunately a rogue wave struck one of the helicopters killing six crew. Later the Selendang Ayu broke in two releasing 336,000 gallons of fuel oil killing thousands of birds and other maritime wildlife. The environmental cleanup took until June 2006.
