Bulker Grounds Outside of Shipping Channel in the Øresund

 

A Turkish bulker went aground Sunday in the Øresund, according to the Swedish Coast Guard, and it is being investigated as a possible case of gross negligence. 

In the early hours of Sunday morning, the small bulker Ali Aykin was headed northbound into the Øresund. She was carrying a cargo of scrap metal on a routine voyage from Gdansk, Poland to Setubal, Portugal. AIS data suggests that at about 0015 hours, she missed the entrance to the fairway and deviated to the northwest of the shipping lane. At 0100, she went aground on a charted shoal, located just outside the marked fairway on the south side of the Øresund Bridge.

Courtesy Pole Star

One individual has been arrested on suspicion of "gross negligence in maritime traffic," the Swedish Coast Guard told local media. The crew are being interviewed and officials are gathering evidence from the vessel. 

"There are many shoals in the Sound and the inlets and outlets. Therefore, it is very important to stay within the designated areas that are clearly marked," said Swedish coast guard spokesman Mattias Lindholm, speaking to Hallands Nyheter. 

Salvage planning for refloating the ship is under way, and a Swedish response vessel is on scene monitoring the situation. The vessel is carrying about 18,000 gallons of diesel in her tanks, but no pollution has been detected so far. 

The 5,000 dwt Ali Aykin is 26 years old and has an extensive history of inspection problems, racking up more than 60 deficiency citations in the last six months alone. She was detained for 20 days in Sweden last year for serious issues, including damaged hatches, inoperative watertight doors, a broken radio, blocked escape routes, a broken fixed firefighting system, a broken emergency generator, and noncompliant fire pumps. 

Top image: Oresund Bridge (Nick D / CC BY SA 4.0)