3 Oil Tankers Suffer Explosions In Mediterranean Waters, Investigations Underway

A series of unexplained explosions have damaged three oil tankers in different parts of the Mediterranean over the past month.

According to shipping and security sources, these incidents are the first in decades where non-military vessels have suffered blast damage in the region.

The first incident occurred on Saturday when the Greek-operated crude oil tanker Seajewel was struck by two explosions while anchored at the Savona-Vado port in northern Italy.

The first blast caused a one-meter inward breach below the waterline, while the second explosion, occurring 20 minutes later, did not cause additional damage. Italian prosecutors have launched an investigation into the incident.

The vessel is operated by Athens-based Thenamaris, which has not yet issued a statement on the matter.

Another tanker, Seacharm, also operated by Thenamaris, suffered damage from an explosion off the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan in late January.

Two sources confirmed this information but did not provide any more details about the extent of the damage. The third incident involved the Liberia-flagged chemical and products tanker Grace Ferrum, which was hit by a blast off the Libyan coast in February.

One source stated that the vessel would require a salvage operation due to the severity of the damage. As of Wednesday, ship tracking data showed that Grace Ferrum was listed as “not under command” off the Libyan coast.

The vessel’s Cyprus-based operator, Cymare, has not responded to requests for comment.

Per reports, all three vessels had recently called at Russian ports, as confirmed by ship tracking data and industry sources.

The cause behind these blasts remains unclear, and officials within the shipping industry have expressed concern over the safety of commercial vessels operating in the Mediterranean.

In late December, the Russian cargo ship Ursa Major sank in the Mediterranean off the Spanish coast after an explosion in its engine room. The Russian Foreign Ministry reported that two crew members went missing in the incident.

Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding these explosions.

Reference: Reuters

Source: Maritime Shipping News