Andesborg bunker spill 'could have been much worse': Coast Guard

Vessel is estimated to have leaked up to 1,000 litres of marine fuel.

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Updated on 18 Apr 2017 09:16 GMT

The general cargo vessel MV Andesborg leaked up to 1,000 litres of marine fuel after colliding with a quay at Norrkoping on Friday, according to the Swedish Coast Guard. The 17,294-deadweight, 143-metre-long ship was in the process of berthing at dock 2 of Pampus Harbour when it struck the quay. The vessel's hull was damaged and a bunker tank ruptured, which resulted in fuel leaking into the water. "It is estimated that up to 1,000 litres of diesel fuel leaked out," said Anders Ekstrand, Coast Guard duty officer. The emergency services and Coast Guard arrived at the scene to lay out absorbent booms to prevent the spill from spreading. A vacuum truck on the dock was also used to recover the fuel that was released into the water. According to local reports, the vessel's hole was sealed by the response team between approximately two and four hours after the incident. The process of transferring fuel from the damaged tank took place thereafter. "It could have been much worse," Ekstrand remarked, who noted that the response teams responded "quickly" to limit the impact of the spill. The Port of Norrkoping has been overseeing the cleanup operation. "We believe it [the cleanup] is manageable," said Ola Hjartstrom, marketing director at the Port of Norrkoping, who observed that the spill was concentrated in an area near the wharf. A police investigation into the matter is in progress. The Netherlands-flagged MV Andesborg is owned by Royal Wagenborg. According to its specifications, the vessel runs on RMG 380 and marine gas oil (MGO) and has a Wartsila 6L46F main engine.