On the evening of December 29, the 28 meter long towboat Patrick J. Studdert (MMSI: 367534690) collided with the 225 meter long, 77073 dwt bulk carrier Clara B (IMO: 9304083) on the Mississippi River near the Hale Boggs Bridge in Luling, Louisiana. The Patrick J. Studdert sustained hull damage and uncontrolled water ingress from the collision. The five crew on board the towboat were forced to abandoned ship before the vessel sank. All the crew would later be rescued and taken to hospital for evaluation. The Clara B did not report any significant damage and proceeded to anchor nearby. No reports of injuries on either vessel.
Reports state the Patrick J. Studdert sank in 90 feet of water and a sheen of diesel fuel pollution was visible over the wreck. The Coast Guard and local authorities are monitoring the wreck for any further pollution being released. The incident is under investigation.
On the early morning hours of December 23, the 101 meter long, 5,215 dwt container ship Amnah (IMO: 9126259) capsized and sunk in the Sea of Marmara while berthed at the port of Ambarli in Istanbul, Turkey. The Amnah had ben loading containers when it lost stability and developed a heavy port list. As the cargo shifted, the vessel struck the dock and rolled over. Five of the 15 crew on board the container ship had to jump into the sea as the vessel rolled. Reports state the other 10 crew and dock workers were able to abandon the vessel. One crew member sustained minor injuries and taken to hospital for treatment.
The Amnah has sustained damage, but the full extent will not be known until the container ship can be refloated. Authorities have placed booms around the Amnah to contain any pollution released. Reports state several containers have broken free and many have filled with water and sank.
Officials have launched an investigation into the incident. They believe the vessel was improperly loaded and did not maintain proper ballasting which resulted in the lost of stability.
On November 17, the 132 meter long, 4190 dwt tanker Volgoneft 109 (IMO: 8230651) suffered damage in the Sea of Azov off the Taman Pennisula, Russia. The Volgoneft 109 was loaded with 4000 metric tons of mazut on board when it suffered hull failure with a crack just forward of the bridge. The tanker has suffered water ingress and pollution has been seen being released into the sea. No reports of injuries to the 14 crew. It can’t be determined if the tanker has controlled the flooding or if the tanker is at risk of breaking up. Video of the incident shows the tanker taking water over its deck with the mazut cargo leaking out into the sea.
Russian Authorities Version
The Russian federal shipping agency Rosmorrechflot state the Volgoneft 109 had been at anchor in the Kerch Strait off Port Kavkaz. The tanker suffered damage to the cargo tank, but there was no water ingress and no pollution released into the sea. The vessel had sent out a distress call due to a fracture in the hull, but the incident was “not critical”. Videos released of the Vologneft 109 suggests the Russian authorities do not want any further focus on these incidents.
Updated Theories
This is the third tanker to suffer hull damage in two days. The incident with the Volgoneft 109, built in 1973, suggests the incidents are not due to wave damage, but the tankers lack of structural integrity. Photos and videos of all three Volgoneft tankers show rust and lack of recent maintenance. This suggests the tankers could have been already close to structural failure and the stormy conditions just hastened the eventual fate of the vessels.
Ukraine maritime authorities have stated these tankers were never designed for winter storms. Another authority has stated the vessels had departed from Volgograd bound to deliver the fuel for the Russian Navy to explain why the tankers would be exposed to the stormy conditions rather than remain in port or within the safety of the Don River. News reports suggest the urgency to resupply the Russian Navy is most likely the driving factor for all three incidents.
