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Category: Fire

Morning Midas Sank

Morning Midas Sank

Morning Midas
Photo: USCG

SINKING

On June 23, the the 183 meter long, 12250 dwt car carrier Morning Midas (IMO: 9289910)  sank in the Pacific Ocean some 450 miles southwest of Alaska’s Aleutian Island of Adak after being on fire for nearly 3 weeks.  The salvage company Zodiac Maritime stated the vessel had suffered water ingress from the fire damage causing the vessel to finally sink. The car carrier sank to a depth of 16,404 feet.

POLLUTION

There was no reports of visible pollution at the site of the sinking. The United States Coast Guard reported they have vessels on scene ready to respond to any pollution released. Currently, the salvage vessels 47 meter long Garth Foss (IMO: 9070266) and 69 meter long Salvage Worker (IMO: 9250024) were onsite and equipped with pollution response equipment. Additionally, the 57 meter long offshore supply vessel Endeavour (IMO: 8623468) had departed from Dutch Harbor with oil pollution containment equipment and will be on site of the wreck by June 26.

Morning Midas
Photo: USCG

The Coast Guard nor the Zodiac Maritime have no reported if any oil pollution had been released between June 9 through June 23. The Morning Midas may still have 1,530 metric tons of fuel oil along with 350 metric tons of gas oil (MGO) within its fuel tanks. Even if the fire onboard burned some of the fuel, there will be a significant amount of fuel that maybe released. This may not result in any oil pollution reaching the surface due to the depth of the wreck. In research after the Deepwater Horizon disaster (Fisher, C.R., P.A. Montagna, and T.T. Sutton. 2016. Oceanography 29(3):182–195), oil pollution can remain on the ocean bottom rather than appear on the surface as an oil slick.

INVESTIGATION

There has been no press release if the incident will be investigated any further.  Some news accounts stated the Morning Midas was already unsalvageable before the Zodiac Maritime vessels arrived on site. Due to its location and great depth (the Morning Midas is nearly 3/4 of mile deeper than the wreck of the Titanic), the investigation may not include any underwater surveys using ROVs. It is also doubtful any voyage data recording devices survived the fire prior to the sinking.  Additionally, the car carrier sank in international waters and may not require any US Coast Guard or other United States authorities to investigate.

 

Chang Min

Chang Min

Chang Min
Photo: nigeriaworld.com

On the evening of June 20, the 190 meter long, 56097 dwt bulk carrier Chang Min (IMO: 9622801) caught fire while berthed in Apapa Port, Lagos, Nigeria. The Chang Min was unloading a variety of cargo from its cargo hold #2 when a fire broke out.

Multiple fire and emergency responders arrived on scene and found flames coming out of the cargo hold. While the fire brigades fought the blaze from the shore, several fire tugboats assisted in containing the fire. Fire fighters were able to seal the hold before they entered the hold and extinguished the blaze. No reports of injuries or pollution released. The extent of damage from the incident was not disclosed.

Reports state the Chang Min had various cargo such as compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks, tires, construction machinery and other various products that were combustible. An initial investigation has not determined the source of ignition of the fire.

 

Industrial Challenger

Industrial Challenger

Industrial Challenger
Photo: KEGM

On June 16, the 120 meter long, 8057 dwt heavy list vessel Industrial Challenger (IMO: 9213935) caught fire in the Çanakkale Strait off Kumkale, Turkey. The Industrial Challenger  was headed to Yalova from Marmaris when a fire broke out in the engine room. Reports state the fire was extinguished, but the heavy list vessel sustained engine damage and went adrift.  The KEGM dispatched tugs which took the Industrial Challenger under tow to a nearby anchorage.  No reports of injuries or pollution released.