Passenger Ship Marco Polo Runs Aground in Hanö Bay, Resulting in Oil Leak
It has now been five days since the passenger ship Marco Polo ran aground in Hanö Bay in Blekinge. The incident has caused concern as an unknown amount of oil has leaked from damaged tanks on the ship. The Coast Guard has managed to retrieve 23,000 liters of oil so far, but there are still 300,000 liters of oil in undamaged tanks on board.
In a press conference, Coast Guard base station manager John Månsson stated that the work around the accident is ongoing, with units being deployed around the clock. However, the exact amount of oil leaked remains uncertain.
Initially, it was forecasted that the leaked oil would move south, but no oil has been observed on Scania’s coasts so far. A new forecast suggests that the oil may now move north. Mattias Lindholm, the press secretary at the Coast Guard, mentioned that the cold water has caused the oil to sink to the bottom, making it difficult to determine its location and movement.
In response to the situation, resources are being redistributed to the beaches, and reinforcements from aspirants and the Home Guard are being deployed to help save nature. Lindholm emphasized the need for constant awareness, as personnel may have to go out to sea if additional oil leaks or if the existing oil resurfaces.
The shipping company is currently developing a salvage plan, but no decision has been made on when the ship will be towed away. The Coast Guard is prepared for further spills and argues that the risk of the ship’s damage worsening increases over time. Lindholm stressed that the salvage needs to commence as quickly as possible to avoid further oil leakage.
When asked if pressure can be put on the shipping company to expedite the process, Lindholm responded positively, stating that daily contact is maintained, and the situation is progressing well. He explained that various measures must be taken to secure the ship before the salvage operation, as simply pulling it up from the seabed is not feasible. The Coast Guard estimates that it may take several days before the ship can be safely recovered.
To aid in the cleanup efforts, the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has provided specialized equipment called oil trawlers for possible underwater oil extraction. However, the success of these efforts depends on the depth at which the oil is located.
The passenger ferry TT-Line Marco Polo, flagged in Cyprus, was en route from Trelleborg to Karlshamn before heading to Klaipeda in Lithuania when it ran aground last Sunday morning. The ship initially ran aground in Hanö Bay and started leaking oil. It then moved a further three nautical miles before getting stuck on new ground.
On Sunday, the spilled oil reached Hörvik in Sölvesborg municipality, causing concern for the local environment. Two crew members are currently being investigated for suspected negligence in maritime traffic of the normal degree.
The ongoing incident highlights the need for prompt action to minimize the environmental impact and ensure the safe recovery of the stranded ship.