Following the grounding incident of the wood-chip carrier “Crimson Polaris” off Hachinohe, the vessel’s hull split into two pieces and began spilling oil.
To remind, the vessel, which had been chartered by NYK from MI-DAS Line SA (an affiliate of Doun Kisen Co., Ltd.), the owner of the ship, ran aground off Hachinohe on August 11.
All 21 crew members — eight Chinese and 13 Filipino nationals — had been rescued without notable injuries, the coast guard said.
According to local media sources, heavy oil that spilled from the Panama-flagged vessel reached the coast of Misawa City on Friday morning local time. The stranded oil has spread around 24 km north of the coastline, but the extent of any environmental impact remains unclear as the authorities continue to tackle the oil spill.
The shipowner and ship-management company are currently in discussions with relevant authorities and salvage companies concerning towing and treatment of the separated hull, with the prevention of environmental pollution being given the highest priority. We are carefully monitoring the situation.
…as the vessel’s operator, NYK Line, noted.
Concluding, the cause of the accident is currently being confirmed, and investigative authorities are conducting an interview with the vessel captain.
