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Tag: Tanker

Annika

Annika

Annika
Photo: DGzRS

On the morning of October 11, the 73 meter long, 1646 dwt tanker Annika caught fire while in the Baltic Sea several kilometers off Kühlungsborn, Germany.  The tanker, loaded with 640 tons of crude oil, had departed from Rostock bound for Travemünde when a fire broke out on the vessel.  The fire released out large plumes of dense black smoke and spread over the superstructure.

The Annika sent out a distress call with authorities dispatching a DGzRS rescue boat to the scene. The rescue boat Wilma Sikorski arrived a short time later and rescued all seven crew off the tanker.  Some of the Annika crew sustained slight injuries and taken to hospital.

Annika
Photo: DGzRS

Additional vessels arrived on scene to conduct firefighting including the DGzRS vessel Arkona and tug Baltic along with the fireboat Albert Wegener and several water police vessels. These vessels doused the tanker with water bringing the fire under control on deck, but were unable to extinguish the blaze completely below deck.  The Annika was taken under tow by two salvage tugboats to Rostock where the local fire brigade would continue the effort. Reports state fire fighters were able to completely extinguish the blaze the following day.

Authorities have blocked access to the vessel as they conduct an investigation.  Divers did inspect the hull for heat damage while an oil boom was placed around the the Annika to contain any pollution released.  Initial reports state the fire engulfed the entire stern of the vessel severely damaging the engine room and destroying the tanker’s lifeboat. Conflicting reports state the fire may have started in the vessel’s paint room or possibly the engine room. The cargo tanks were reported to be intact and were not involved with the fire.

 

Banglar Shourabh

Banglar Shourabh

Banglar Shourabh
Photo: bdnews24.com

On the early morning of October 4, the 138 meter long, 14,494 dwt oil tanker Banglar Shourabh (IMO: 8508955) caught fire while at the outer anchorage off Chittagong, Bangladesh. The Banglar Shourabh was loaded with 11,000 mt of crude oil that was to be unloaded at the port jetty when fire broke out at different sections of the vessel.

The Bangladesh Coast Guard had a speedboat in the area at the time of the fire. It along with 3 other Coast Guard vessels safely rescued 47 of the 48 crew on board the tanker. A fire fighting tugboat assisted by several tugboats from the port authority to extinguish the blaze. Reports state after 30 minutes, the combine effort had brought the fire under control. One of the crew on the Banglar Shourabh perished from injuries caused by the fire.

Banglar Shourabh

Authorities have not released the extent of damage to the Banglar Shourabh. An initial report stated the fire may have been deliberate and suggest sabotage. However, the incident is still under investigation. On September 30, the tanker Banglar Jyoti exploded while berthed in Chittagong.  Both the Banlar Shourabh and Banglar Jyoti are owned by Bangladesh Shipping Corporation.

On October 7, some 5,000 mt of crude oil was transferred off to a smaller tanker to be transferred to the nearby Eastern Refinery. Authorities have chartered the tanker Global Dignity to transport the remaining oil off the tanker Omera Legacy to the refinery.

 

Banglar Jyoti

Banglar Jyoti

Banglar Jyoti
Photo: bdnews24.com

On the morning of September 30, the 138 meter long, 14,541 dwt tanker Banglar Jyoti (IMO: 8508943) exploded while unloading crude oil in Chittagong, Bangladesh. The Banglar Jyoti was under going routine maintenance/repair work on the forecastle when oil vapors ignited. The resulting explosion ripped open the deck at the forepeak and setting the vessel on fire. Local authorities aided by the Coast Guard, Bangladesh Navy and fire fighters were able to bring the fire under control a few hours later. Three crew were killed by the blast. No further details reported if any other people were injured.

Reports stated that only 800 tons of crude oil had been discharged at the time of the explosion with some 10,900 tons still on board the tanker. All crude oil will be unloaded if the vessel is found safe and machinery is still operational.  Reports state the Banglar Jyoti will be taken to a shipyard for inspection and possibly be salvaged and put back into service. However, the Banglar Jyoti was built in 1987 and past its operational lifespan.

Local authorities nor ship owners have disclosed if the tanker had followed inerting procedures or if the vents were open at the time of the explosion. Inerting has been adopted widely after the SS Sansinena exploded in Los Angeles harbor in 1976.  Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.