8.4 Case 4 BALTIC CARRIER,Oil Pollution,
Falster,Denmark,29th March 2001
? On 29th March the BALTIC CARRIER,a double-hulled
chemical tanker,collided with the TERN,a bulk carrier,
off the Danish coast,spilling approximately 2700 tonnes
of heavy fuel oil,The oil drifted north-westwards from
the collision point and started coming ashore during the
afternoon and evening of 29th March,The heaviest
concentrations were along the south shores of Far? and
Bog? in the sound between the islands of Falster,
Sj?lland and M?n,The oil lay in rafts of highly viscous
oil,up to 5cm thick and still afloat at the water's edge.
ITOPF observed several hundred tonnes of oil ashore at
Far? and Bog?,The Danish Coast Guard has reported
several larger concentrations of oil drifting off M?n and
Falster,as well as in Storstr?m Sound between Falster
and Sj?lland,The total quantity of oil floating in two
main patches west of the motorway bridge across
? The offshore clean up response is being
coordinated by the Danish Coast Guard,12
response vessels are currently involved in the
operation,Because of the high viscosity of the oil,
which has the consistency of chewing gum,the
main approach has been to use mechanical grabs
rather than conventional skimmers,As at 1st
April,930 m3of oil are reported to have been
recovered at sea,Protective booms have been
placed around the entrances of all small harbours
in the areas affected or threatened by oil.
? Shoreline response is being coordinated jointly
by the Danish police and the Emergency
Response Corps from a Command Post in
Stubbek?bing,Apart from manual collection,the
main techniques involve the use of mechanical
grabs and suction devices,Heavy-duty suction
trucks have proved particularly effective where
road access is suitable,So far 380 tonnes have
been recovered from the shore.
? The main impact of the spill has been on birds
which become trapped in the oil,The European
Commission reports that 1000 seabirds have so
far been found dead or covered by oil,According
to the Danish Ornithological Association the
main concentrations of aquatic birds are to be
found at Ulvsund between M?n and Sj?lland.
Equally sensitive are the sheltered waters of the
so-called South Sea Islands (Sydhavs?erne)
situated west of Falster.
End of Chapter 8
Falster,Denmark,29th March 2001
? On 29th March the BALTIC CARRIER,a double-hulled
chemical tanker,collided with the TERN,a bulk carrier,
off the Danish coast,spilling approximately 2700 tonnes
of heavy fuel oil,The oil drifted north-westwards from
the collision point and started coming ashore during the
afternoon and evening of 29th March,The heaviest
concentrations were along the south shores of Far? and
Bog? in the sound between the islands of Falster,
Sj?lland and M?n,The oil lay in rafts of highly viscous
oil,up to 5cm thick and still afloat at the water's edge.
ITOPF observed several hundred tonnes of oil ashore at
Far? and Bog?,The Danish Coast Guard has reported
several larger concentrations of oil drifting off M?n and
Falster,as well as in Storstr?m Sound between Falster
and Sj?lland,The total quantity of oil floating in two
main patches west of the motorway bridge across
? The offshore clean up response is being
coordinated by the Danish Coast Guard,12
response vessels are currently involved in the
operation,Because of the high viscosity of the oil,
which has the consistency of chewing gum,the
main approach has been to use mechanical grabs
rather than conventional skimmers,As at 1st
April,930 m3of oil are reported to have been
recovered at sea,Protective booms have been
placed around the entrances of all small harbours
in the areas affected or threatened by oil.
? Shoreline response is being coordinated jointly
by the Danish police and the Emergency
Response Corps from a Command Post in
Stubbek?bing,Apart from manual collection,the
main techniques involve the use of mechanical
grabs and suction devices,Heavy-duty suction
trucks have proved particularly effective where
road access is suitable,So far 380 tonnes have
been recovered from the shore.
? The main impact of the spill has been on birds
which become trapped in the oil,The European
Commission reports that 1000 seabirds have so
far been found dead or covered by oil,According
to the Danish Ornithological Association the
main concentrations of aquatic birds are to be
found at Ulvsund between M?n and Sj?lland.
Equally sensitive are the sheltered waters of the
so-called South Sea Islands (Sydhavs?erne)
situated west of Falster.
End of Chapter 8
