On August 16, the 85 meter long self-propelled tanker-barge Alina ran aground on the Elbe near Zollenspieker, Germany. The Alina was proceeding in ballast toward Hamburg when it suffered a steering fault and veered out of the fairway running up on a sandbank. No reports of injuries, damage or pollution released. The Alina remained aground until the next day when it was refloated on the rising tide.
The 80 meter long self-propelled tanker-barge Bitumina 3 caught fire while berthed at a shipyard at Mülheim, Germany. Local fire brigades from Cologne were alerted as smoke was spotted coming from the vessel. A search of the vessel found some insulation material had caught fire between two tanks. The fire was quickly extinguished. No reports of injuries, damage or pollution released.
The 110 meter long self-propelled tanker-barge Piz Palü ran aground on the Rhine near Niederdollendorf, Germany. The Piz Palü was headed to Rotterdam from Königswinter when it collided with the 171 meter long barge-combo Rhenus Thionville 1 and Rhenus Thionville 2. The two barges were headed upstream with a cargo of coal when they collided amidship of the Piz Palü.
The Piz Palü sustained a hull breach above the waterline while the Rhenus Thionville 2 sustained a large dent along its port side. The Piz Palü later drifted aground on a nearby embankment. The tanker-barge was later pulled free later the same day and proceeded to Bonn. No reports of injuries or pollution released.