Tankers Collide off Welsh Coast

The Panamanian-registered ROYAL OASIS and the Norwegian-flagged BERGE ATLANTIC collided eight miles off Mumbles Head at 6.30am Sunday.







Both the Royal Oasis, which has a deadweight of 161,000 tons, and the 171,000-ton Berge Atlantic are nearly 1,000ft long.







The Royal Oasis had 21 crew on board and had last called at Las Palmas in the Canary Islands and the Berge Atlantic has a crew of 29, no injuries have been reported.







It is understood both had been waiting in a queue at a point in Swansea Bay known as the Port Talbot Anchorage.







They were each preparing to deliver more than 100,000 tons of iron ore to Port Talbot Docks, destined for the nearby Corus steel plant.







The collision happened just after the Royal Oasis started its engines and was leaving its anchorage spot to pick up a local pilot.







Officials from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch were ferried to the accident scene yesterday, as were insurance assessors.







Both masters believed their ships to be seaworthy after the accident but detailed inspections are now needed.







Damage to both vessels was said to be superficial and above the water line, which means the ships are unlikely to need hugely expensive dry dock repairs.







A Swansea Coastguard spokesman said the Berge Atlantic was at anchor when the accident happened and the Royal Oasis had just slipped its anchor.







Photo courtesy of www.WalesOnline.co.uk