Oil Tanker Spill Statistics 2012

Oil spilt from accidents involving tankers is at an all time low. Accidental oil spills from tankers now constitute a negligible proportion of oil finding its way into the marine environment, as demonstrated by ITOPF’s annual statistics released today. While no accident involving an oil spill should be ignored as both government and industry strive towards ‘zero tolerance’, to put the figures into perspective, the volume of oil spilt during 2012 represents less than one millionth of the quantity of oil transported by sea. As ITOPF’s figures have historically been rounded to the nearest 1,000 tonnes, the volumes spilt recently are now so low that they can be said to be around baseline levels.

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Thomson Majest Five crew members have died during a lifeboat dril

Five crew members have died after a lifeboat they were in fell from a cruise ship docked in the port of Santa Cruz de la Palma in the Canary Islands.

The accident happened on the Majesty, operated by UK-based Thomson Cruises, during a routine safety drill.
Those killed include three Indonesians, a Filipino and a Ghanaian. Three people were also hurt as the boat reportedly fell more than 20m into the sea.

Read more: Thomson Majest Five crew members have died during a lifeboat dril

Emma Maersk could be out for months

A Maersk Line containership that suffered a flooded engine room in the Suez Canal on Friday could be out of action for months.
The Danish shipping giant has also ordered all seven other E-class ships not use their stern thrusters until investigators discover what caused the incident.
Reports say the engine room of the 15,500-teu Emma Maersk (built 2006) has been left under eighteen metres of water.

Read more: Emma Maersk could be out for months

The 178,739 dwt Bright Century Bulker sinks after collision

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. today said that that the Hong Kong registered, MOL-owned bulker Bright Century collided with a freighter in foggy conditions while under way on the high seas approximately 23 miles east of the Shangdong Peninsula, China. It sank some 40 minutes later, on May 2, 2010, at around 5:30 a.m. local time (GMT+8 hours).

Read more: The 178,739 dwt Bright Century Bulker sinks after collision

Erika France, 12 December 1999

 

Report updated 16 March 2010

What has happened?

On 12 December 1999 the Erika broke in two off the coast of Brittany, France, whilst carrying approximately 30 000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil. Some 19 800 tonnes were spilled. The sunken bow section contained 6 400 tonnes of cargo and the stern a further 4 700 tonnes.

Read more: Erika France, 12 December 1999

Concordia sank off the coast of Brazil

Students safe after capsizing of N.S.-based ship

Dozens of students travelling aboard a Nova Scotia-based ship that sank off the coast of Brazil Thursday are safe and suffered no serious injuries in the capsizing, officials from the school that organized the trip said Friday.

Read more: Concordia sank off the coast of Brazil