The 30 meter long tugboat FFS Achilles sank off Skjolnes near Farsund, Norway. The FFS Achilles had run aground and suffered uncontrolled water ingress. The crew alerted authorities who dispatched a lifeboat to the scene. Before the lifeboat arrived, the three crew abandoned ship and rescued.
The FFS Achilles continue to flood and later sank. Authorities monitored the area and stated there were no signs of a spill. No reports of injuries or pollution released. Reports state the owner has begun salvage plans to recover the tug.
On February 16, the 30 meter long tugboat Samson Mariner and 322 foot long barge Saint Elias off Gravina Island on Rosa Reef near Ketchikan, Alaska. The vessels were proceeding to Valdez via the Inside Passage in calm seas when the vessels ran aground on the northeast end of Gravina Island. The Samson Mariner sustained hull damage with a 2 inch gash in the hull rupturing the port fuel tank. Some 1,100 gallons of diesel fuel was released into the water before the crew was able to plug the leak. Authorities were alerted and arrived on scene placing a containment boom around the tug. The Samson Mariner and the Saint Elias were later refloated and towed to Ward Cove.
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Reports state there were no injuries and no damage to the Saint Elias which had some 40,000 gallons of diesel fuel on board at the time of the incident. The Coast Guard and Alaskan authorities continued to monitor the situation while contractors attempt to recover the released fuel using booms and absorbent pads. The cause of the grounding was not reported. The Saint Elias had run aground before in 2011 off the San Juan Islands, Washington.
On January 23, the 26 meter long tugboat MCL Power III with a barge under tow ran aground in the South China Sea near Kandis, Kelantan, Malaysia. The MCL Power III was proceeding to Johor with 5800 tons of limestone in stormy conditions. The storm caused the MCL Power III to become uncontrollable and the vessels were pushed ashore. No reports of injuries.
