Ship Collision In Cuxhaven Spills 6,000 Litres Of Fuel Into Harbour

A collision between two vessels at the entrance of Cuxhaven’s outer harbour in Germany led to a fuel spill of around 6,000 litres early on Wednesday, July 23. Authorities and emergency teams rushed to contain the spill and stop it from reaching the Elbe River.

The incident happened when the 69-meter-long German-flagged product tanker Capella, which was entering the port from Bremerhaven, collided with the 44-meter-long Dutch-flagged offshore supply vessel Coastal Legend, which was leaving the harbour.

Capella is a 1,340 deadweight tonnage (dwt) tanker and suffered only minor damage, while Coastal Legend, weighing 328 gross tons, had a breach about 80 centimetres long near the stern.

Following the collision, a red, oily film was seen floating in the harbour, and fuel was found leaking from Coastal Legend. The crew members on both vessels were safe, and no injuries were reported.

The German Seaman’s Mission and Stella Maris supported the sailors after the vessels were docked in Cuxhaven.

In response to the fuel leak, emergency services from the German Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW), local fire departments, and the Maritime Emergency Command set up oil booms around the damaged vessel. Pumping operations began to transfer the fuel to the bunker vessel Herta. Divers were also deployed to seal the leak underwater.

Aerial support was provided by an oil reconnaissance aircraft, which conducted two flights over the affected area to monitor the spread of the spill. By late Wednesday, around 80 cubic meters of a mix of oil and water had been collected from the surface using skimmers. This mixture was being pumped into a tanker and trucks for safe disposal.

Emergency personnel wore breathing masks during operations to avoid inhaling harmful fumes. A special oil recovery vessel was also deployed to the site.

The Water Police have launched an investigation to find out the exact cause of the collision. Both vessels remained stable and were not at risk of sinking. Officials confirmed that shipping traffic on the Elbe River had not been impacted.

A spokesperson from the Central Command for Maritime Emergencies estimated that 6,000 litres of fuel had spilled and said that most of it was successfully prevented from entering the Elbe.

Per reports, Greenpeace marine biologist Thilo Maack said that any oil in the water poses a risk to marine life. The expert explained that oil blocks oxygen exchange between water and air, which can harm plankton and other small organisms. He also warned that if the oil is not removed quickly, it could settle in the harbour’s sediment and release pollutants for years.

Cleanup efforts continued into the evening, and officials said it would go on until the area is fully cleared. The full environmental impact and cost of the damage are yet to be assessed.

References: dw, aletihad

Source: Maritime Shipping News