On the afternoon of September 22, the 52 meter long ro-ro passenger ferry Kvernes (IMO: 7618832) allided on the Hjørundfjorden at Sæbø, Norway. The Kvernes was completing its regular route between Leknes and Sæbø when the ferry struck the quay at Sæbø. Reports state the vessel struck head-on into the quay at speed. One crew member sustained injuries during the incident. The Kvernes sustained undisclosed amount of damage and was taken out of service. Reports state the ferry resumed service by the following day. No further details reported
On the afternoon of August 19, the 24 meter long, 150 gt high-speed catamaran passenger ship Falkefjell (IMO: 9605346) became disabled on Vargsundet north of Lille Lerresfjord, Norway. The Falkefjell was underway from Hammerfest to Alta with 10 passengers when the vessel struck a whale. Passengers reported they felt a thud before spotting the whale thrashing in the water. Witnesses stated seeing large amounts of blood in the water before the whale perished and sank below the surface. There were no injuries on the Falkefjell, but the impact had damaged the passenger ship as the vessel had lost engine power and went adrift.
Reports stated a service boat from a nearby fish farm, the 193 gt passenger ship Hornøy (IMO: 9768980) and the 13 meter long NSSR lifeboat Utvær (MMSI: 257959900) were to the aid of the disabled Falkefjell. The 10 passengers were transferred off to the Hornøy and proceeded to Hammerfest. The Utvær took the Falkefjell under tow and proceeded to Hammerfest. No details of the extent of damage caused by the incident, but no water ingress was reported.
On the evening of August 7, the 137 meter long, 13340 dwt cargo vessel Tali (IMO: 9173692) caught fire in the North Sea northwest of Feistein Fyr, Norway. The Tali was headed for Tau from Cuxhaven in ballast when a fire broke out in the engine room. The vessel alerted Norwegian authorities who dispatched a team of fire fighters from Sola to assist the crew. Fire fighters arrived on the vessel an hour later to find the situation under control. The crew had triggered the onboard fire suppression system and closed off the engine room. However, the fire damage was extensive requiring the Tali to request a tow. The tugs Boa Balder (IMO: 9462342) and BB Coaster (IMO: 9502685) arrived early the next day and took the Tali under tow to Stavanger. Authorities have not stated the cause of the fire. One of the 14 crew members on board suffered smoke inhalation and was flown back ashore for treatment. Authorities have not yet disclosed the cause of the fire. The incident is under investigation.
