Sweden Fines Captain & 3rd Officer For Ferry Grounding And Massive Oil Spill In The Baltic Sea

Captain and 3rd Officer of a 1599 gross tonnes RO/PAX Ferry Marco Polo were fined by Sweden due to their reckless and careless actions that led to the vessel’s grounding and a significant oil spill in the Baltic Sea.

Image Credits: kustbevakningen.se
(Swedish Coast Guard)

Operated by Germany-based TT-Line, the ferry left Trelleborg, Sweden, on Oct 21 and was headed to Karlshamm, Sweden, when it grounded on Sunday, Oct 22. The Coast Guard helped evacuate 41 passengers and 10 of the 30 crew members and has asked the authorities for additional resources to help with the environmental clean-up, which could take almost a year.

An investigation by the Coast Guard and the Public Prosecutor revealed that when the ferry touched the ground for the first time, it was already leaking but continued using its power when it grounded for the second time. This time, its hull sustained damage, and it started taking on water.

On Thursday, the Coast Guard reported that 14 m3 of oil waste was already in the sea and 9 m3 near the shoreline. Also, roughly 3 miles of the coastline was affected by the oil.

Before the first grounding, the third mate was in command, and despite the fog and decreased visibility, he used only the electronic chart. The electronic position system malfunctioned, and he was charged with negligence since he did not use any other systems of navigation like radar or added a lookout.

After the first incident, the master took the command; however, he also continued to use only the electronic chart, which led to the second grounding at 6:25 a.m.

After interviewing the crew, the Coast Guard also found that the crew thought their ferry was to the east of Hana, an island off Sweden’s southeast coast. However, they were in the channel between Hano and the mainland.

One crew member was fined 40,000 kronor or $3600, and the other was fined $1500. Coast Guard said that Swedish law gives mild penalties for negligence but stricter penalties for intentional acts. However, it can still charge a water pollution fee. Additional investigation is underway to assess the ferry’s seaworthiness.

By late Thursday, the aircraft could not detect oil on the surface of the water as it sank and began to touch the shore. The Coast Guard has called at least 30 people from the Home Guard to assist in the cleanup, including asking for protective equipment, though bad weather continues to hamper their efforts.

The main concern is that around 300 cubic metres of oil is still onboard the grounded ferry, and the longer it remains there, the more chances of contamination.

TT-Line is going to present the salvage plan to be approved by Sweden’s Transport Agency and the Coast Guard. It is currently being prepared; however, the ferry’s owner has added salvage resources comprising two tugs in the area.

References: barrons.com, Euronews

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