Russian reefer – on the rocks

Their reefership was smashed against cliffs off Norway’s Bear Island in the Barents Sea after running aground. The 1,287 dwt Petrozavodsk sent a mayday signal early on May 11 and her 12 crew were later airlifted to safety by a Norwegian coastguard helicopter. The 29-year-old vessel started leaking fuel oil but high waves and poor weather made it impossible to board.
The master is charged with drinking alcohol on duty. A preliminary blood-alcohol test showed a level of 1.3%. He admits to having been drinking after the accident, while still on duty, the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) reported.
The mate is charged with sleeping on duty, so that the vessel entered a protected area and ran aground. He is also charged with drinking on duty.
According to the Governor of Svalbard, the vessel’s manoeuvres looked so suspicious that the decision was made to take blood samples from the officers.
Satellite tracking shows that the vessel held a steady course straight towards the shore, NRK reported.
A local newspaper reported that dead and injured seabirds were spotted around the vessel, which had 54 cubic metres of oil, as well as other petroleum substances on board.
Fortunately, it now appears the accident was less damaging to the environment than was initially feared.
The Norwegian coast guard told the NRK that there was no diesel oil to be seen on the ocean surface around the damaged vessel, which suggested the oil had evaporated or dispersed in the sea.
According to the Governor of Svalbard, the mate on duty had stated that he was alone in the wheelhouse of the Petrozavodsk on the morning of May 11, when he fell asleep.
The vessel proceeded at 10 knots and hit the South end of Bear Island.
In the early afternoon of the same day, after the crew were picked up by helicopter, the mate was found to have an excess blood-alcohol concentration of 0.4, while the master had a concentration of 1.3.
Both the mate and the master stated that they started drinking alcohol after the grounding occurred.
The mate was charged with violating the law of safe vessel navigation because he fell asleep. He was also charged with drinking alcohol after the grounding, even though he must have understood that there would be investigations and examinations after the grounding.
He was also charged with bringing the vessel into a nature area, with seabird sanctuaries which it is forbidden to enter after April 1 each year due to seabirds breeding and nesting.
The master was charged with drinking alcohol after the grounding, but is not to blame for the grounding itself.
The two seafarers would be held until a trial takes place, which is expected within three weeks.
The clean-up costs will be settled in a civil case between the Norwegian Coast Directorate, the vessel’s owners and their insurance company.
The Petrozavodsk was heavily damaged and stones from the shore were reported too have penetrated the vessel’s port side.