Swedish Coast Guard Successfully Rescues Second Bulk Carrier After Extended Grounding

Image Credits: Swedish Coast Guard/LinkedIn

A recent publication by the Swedish Coast Guard reveals that the bulk carrier meshka, which ran aground close to Landskrona, Sweden, on May 31, has been successfully freed and is now securely docked in Landskrona harbor. The salvage operation was executed without any oil spills into the surrounding waters.

The rescue efforts kicked off early on Saturday, June 7, at 3 a.m., with crew members working diligently to empty the ballast tanks.Prior to this step, two tugboats were secured to both ends of the ship for assistance. By around 8:30 a.m., meshka was once again afloat.

After regaining its buoyancy, the vessel made an eight-hour journey back to landskrona harbor under its own power while being escorted by tugboats. Officials from both the Swedish Maritime Administration and Coast Guard were present throughout this process to ensure everything went smoothly.

At the time of grounding, Meshka was loaded with approximately 938,000 liters of fuel and lubricating oil. To mitigate environmental risks during salvage operations, vessels equipped for oil spill response were stationed nearby as a precautionary measure against potential leaks. Additional teams focused on environmental protection were also ready in both Landskrona and Malmö.The incident occurred while Meshka was navigating south through Øresund Strait en route from Tarragona in Spain to Vysotsk in Russia.As reported by local media outlets in Sweden, traffic control noticed that Meshka strayed from its designated shipping lane around 10 a.m. on May 31 and issued warnings accordingly.

Regrettably, it truly seems that either there was no timely response or those alerts went unheeded—leading to an unfortunate grounding on soft sand beneath the waves.

Following this mishap,sobriety tests conducted by authorities showed no alcohol consumption among crew members; though,one individual has been charged with negligence related to maritime traffic rules. An examination is currently underway regarding their apparent “lack of good seamanship” which contributed substantially to this incident.

Interestingly enough, just days prior—on June 4—a Turkish-owned bulk carrier had also run aground about 50 miles south near Øresund Bridge but managed refloating shortly thereafter; one crew member faced charges for intoxication and negligent navigation in that case as well.

Swedish officials expressed relief over how both incidents involving these bulk carriers concluded without significant pollution issues arising from them. They commended collaborative efforts among various agencies including local municipalities and private companies involved in salvaging operations for their effective teamwork during these challenging times.

Managing three major maritime incidents simultaneously last week—including not only Meshka’s grounding but also another bulker incident near Klagshamn along with a sunken tugboat up north near Piteå—proved quite demanding for authorities involved!

Reference: Swedish Coast Guard