The 80 meter long tanker PIZ Shkhara suffered an engine room fire while on the Rhine River near Kaiserswerth, Germany with a cargo of edible oils. The fire started when an oil hose broke on the hot exhaust allowing oil to spill out. There was some damage and the engine is not in operation. The owners will tow the vessel to Mainz. No one was injured and no reports of pollution being released.
The 83 meter long paddlewheel steamer Goethe suffered an engine room fire while off Oberwesel, Germany. The fire started when an oil pressure hose broke loose in the engine room. Damage to the engine room was slight, but there was heavy smoke. On board were 174 passengers who had to disembark due to the smoke. No one on board was injured. The Goethe was built in 1913 and was the largest paddle wheel steamer until it’s steam engine was replaced with a diesel in 2008. It is the only paddlewheel steamer still in operation on the Rhine River.
The 110 foot long inland tanker MS Roma allided with the Middle Wettstein Bridge at Basel, Switzerland. The tanker was proceeding down the Rhine when it suffered engine failure. The current pulled the tanker until it struck the bridge resulting in the Roma’s wheelhouse being crushed. The crew of five on the Roma were able to stop the tanker from drifting further by an emergency anchor. No reports of injury. The Roma was proceeding in ballast only and no pollution was released. Traffic on the Rhine around Basel was suspended for a short period. The Roma was taken under tow by the tug Vogel Gryff to allow traffic to continue.
