PRODUCTS TANKER COLLIDES WITH VESSEL OFF BELGIUM
Seven men died and two were missing last week after a British Petroleum Co. plc products tanker collided with a bulk carrier as it left the Belgian port of Antwerp in fog on the morning of June 3.
BP's British Trent was carrying 24,000 metric tons of unleaded gasoline to Italy on charter to Petrofina SA. It collided with Western Winner, a Panamanian registered vessel carrying printing dyes.
British Trent had just dropped off a pilot, and the master was about to move into a shipping separation lane when the vessel was struck on the port side by the Western Winner.
Fire broke out immediately, and the Trent was rapidly engulfed in swirling smoke, vapor, and flames. The crew mustered on the starboard side but could not launch lifeboats in near-zero visibility.
The crew jumped into the sea. Most were rescued by the pilot launch, which was still alongside, but some died as spilled petroleum caught fire.
Western Winner's crew escaped casualties, staying on board the vessel as it struggled into the Netherlands port of Flushing.
About 2,000 bbl of petroleum was believed to have poured from the tanker. Most of it burned quickly. A 2 mile long 200 ft wide slick was reported by nightfall June 3, but there was thought to be no pollution risk because of evaporation of the gasoline.
Cargo and fuel remaining on British Trent were lightered June 7 in readiness for towing of the vessel into Europort.
Belgian and British official inquiries will be launched into the cause of the collision. BP said it also will conduct an investigation.
SAFETY TESTIMONY
The collision occurred only days after the International Association of Independent Tanker Owners (Intertanko), Oslo, testified before the British government's Donaldson inquiry into tanker safety off the U.K.
The inquiry was spurred by the wreck of the Braer crude oil tanker on the Shetland Islands in January, thought to be the worst oil pollution incident off Britain (OGJ, Jan. 11, p. 26).
Intertanko recommended:
- Regulated traffic programs in sensitive areas around coasts, along with checks for illegal dumping.
- Increased availability of salvage tugs.
- Tighter controls on substandard tankers and better training for ship inspectors.
- Better training for mariners.
International solutions were said to be required for sea pollution. Unilateral action by individual governments would create more problems than they solved.
Intertanko said shore responses should be strengthened by involving tanker operators, coast guards, fire brigades, oil companies, and salvors in contingency planning.
Copyright 1993 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.