Case Studies
This section contains summaries of major spills from 1967 to the present day, looking at the incident, response, our involvement together with selected bibliographies and web links, where available.
STELLAR BANNER, Brazil, 2020
In the early hours of 25th February 2020, STELLAR BANNER ran aground on a sandbank following departure from the port of Ponta da Madeira, Maranhão State, northeast Brazil.
Categories: Brazil, Oil, Bulk Carrier, Americas
GOLDEN RAY, United States, 2019
On 8th September 2019, the roll on, roll off vessel GOLDEN RAY developed a list and was grounded at the mouth of the Brunswick River, Georgia, while leaving the Port of Brunswick.
Categories: United States, Oil, Non Tanker, RORO, Americas
SOLOMON TRADER, Solomon Islands, 2019
On 4th February 2019, cargo vessel SOLOMON TRADER (38,779 GT) ran aground during poor weather in Kangava Bay, Rennell Island, Solomon Islands. The vessel was reportedly carrying 10,850 MT of bauxite ore at the time of the incident. Following a rupture of the port-side fuel oil tank, IFO 380 was released to affect approximately 5 km of shoreline in Kangava Bay to varying degrees.
Categories: Oil, General Cargo ship, Oceania
BOW JUBAIL, Netherlands, 2018
The product tanker BOW JUBAIL in ballast, made contact with a jetty and spilled approximately 217 tonnes of bunker Heavy Fuel Oil whilst berthing at the Port of Rotterdam.
Categories: Oil, Product Tanker, Europe
AGIA ZONI II, Greece, 2017
At approximately 02:30h on 10th September 2017, the chemical/product tanker AGIA ZONI II sank close to Atalanti Island, in the Piraeus anchorage area. The vessel reportedly had 2,194 metric tons of heavy fuel oil and 370 metric tons of marine gas oil on board, an unknown quantity of which spilled into the sea.
Categories: Greece, Oil, Chemical Tanker, Product Tanker, Europe
FLINTERSTAR, Belgium, 2015
In the early hours of the morning of 6th October, while en route to Bilbao with a cargo of steel plates, the 6,577 GT general cargo ship FLINTERSTAR was involved in a collision with the 136,685 GT LNG carrier AL ORAIQ approximately six nautical miles off the coast of Zeebrugge, Belgium.
Categories: Belgium, General Cargo ship, Europe
AMADEO 1, Chile, 2014
On 18th August 2014, the Ro-Ro ferry AMADEO 1 (GT 9,737) en route from Puerto Natales to Puerto Montt, grounded in Kirke Canal, 40 NM south west of Puerto Natales, in southern Patagonia, Chile.
Categories: Chile, Oil, Non Tanker, RORO, Americas
SILVER, Morocco, 2013
On 23rd December 2013, after encountering heavy weather, the chemical and product tanker SILVER grounded on a sandbank off the coast of Tan-Tan in South Morocco while entering the port of El Ouatia. The vessel was carrying 4,940 tonnes of Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) 380 as cargo, 190 tonnes of HFO 380 as bunker fuel and 24 tonnes of Marine Gas Oil (MGO).
Categories: Morocco, Oil, Product Tanker, Africa
ST THOMAS DE AQUINAS, Philippines, 2013
On 16th August 2013, RORO passenger vessel ST THOMAS DE AQUINAS collided with containership SULPICIO EXPRESS 7 on approach to port in Cebu, Philippines. The STA sank within 15 minutes, settling in 40m of water. The incident resulted in the loss of over 100 lives of the 813 passengers and crew on board STA at the time.
Categories: Philippines, Oil, RORO, Asia
STOLT VALOR, off the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2012
On 15th March 2012, STOLT VALOR carrying 13,000 tonnes of methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) and 1,300 tonnes of isobutylaldehyde (IBAL) as well as 430 tonnes of Intermediate Fuel Oil (IFO 380) as bunkers, suffered an explosion in international waters off Ras Tanura, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Categories: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, HNS, Chemical Tanker