On 17th September the 5,084gt/1991 built and 109m long cargo ship Green Freezer (above) ran aground off Fáskrúðsfjörður in Iceland. The ship struck a skerry and, to avoid pollution, the tanker Laugafell was dispatched to the scene to pump 140 tons of fuel oil from the vessel. The Icelandic Coast Guard vessel Thor hauled the Green Freezer free on 20th September and the fuel oill was then pumped back aboard the casualty before both vessels proceeded to Fáskrúðsfjörður.

On 29th September, the 62,395gt/2003 built Liberian-flagged and Sovcomflot-owned tanker Krasnodar rescued six yachtsmen from a liferaft adrift 30 miles off the coast of Brazil. The Brazilian sailors had been participating in the Regata Internacional Recife aboard the 10 metre trimaran Nativo when structural failure occurred. The victims were in a state of shock when the ship found them and they were given food and dry clothes while the Krasnodar proceeded to the port of Natal to offload the Nativo’s crew.

That same day the 93,750gt/2005 built Hapag-Lloyd container ship Colombo Express (above) collided with the starboard side of the 94,193gt/2007 built container ship Maersk Tanjong in the Suez Canal off Port Said. The Maersk vessel was clearing the Suez Canal Container terminal to join the second convoy, whilst the Colombo Express was proceeding through the convoy. Both were travelling in the same direction and the collision resulted in a 20-metre dent to the port side bow of Colombo Express and three lost containers that were later retrieved. Eye witness footage appeared to show the Colombo Express turning towards the Maersk vessel prior to the collision. The second southbound convoy was interrupted and both ships moored at the canal lakes until the investigation and repairs had been completed.

A massive storm with winds over 80mph hit Port Botany in New South Wales on the night of 19th October causing the 53,783gt containership Kiel Express to break free from its mooring. The Kiel Express then cut the mooring of the 66,046gt OOCL Hong Kong, sending it free. The stern of the Kiel Express then collided with a stationary vessel, the 50,686gt Safmarine Makutu. The Kiel Express then swung around to collide side on with the South African vessel. The OOCL Hong Kong required repairs after its stern was punctured by the bollards on the wharf as the vessel swung out after its mooring was cut.

On 2nd October the 77 metre long general cargo vessel Bomar Moon ran aground off Hamburg, Germany. The incident occurred at around 09.25 on the Köhlbrand, a contributory of the Unterelbe River. The 2,010gt/2010 built Bomar Moon was en route from an oil plant in the Neuhöfer Canal to Immingham when she suffered an engine failure. The Captain of the vessel dropped the anchor immediately but the ship struck the river bed. The vessel was refloated with the assistance of the tug Wilhelmine, which was nearby, before being towed to Steinwerder Berth 1 and detained for damage assessment by divers. Interestingly this incident took place on the day it was announced that a decision on the deepening and widening of the navigation channel of the Lower and Outer Elbe had been delayed.

The 230m long and 43,987gt/2013 built bulk carrier AM Hamburg ran aground off Terneuzen, Netherlands on 7th October 2014. The bulk carrier had departed from Dunkirk and was heading up the Wester Schelde when she suffered a power blackout, drifted and ran aground. Seven tugs were dispatched and quickly refloated her.

Firefighters attended the 29,770gt/2002 built livestock carrier Ocean Drover (above) at Fremantle Port, Western Australia, on 9th October after a blaze broke out in the accommodation area. The nine-deck vessel is capable of transporting 75,000 sheep or 18,000 cattle and has a crew of 45 people.

The Taiwanese-flagged ocean research and survey vessel Ocean Researcher V (above) sank on the night of 10th October off the southwest coast of Taiwan. The 2,967gt/2012 built and 72 m long ship was the flagship research vessel of the Taiwan Ocean Research Institute (TORI). There were 45 crew aboard with two reported killed when the ship sank after reportedly striking a reef in the vicinity of the Penghu Islands, located in the Taiwan Strait between Taiwan and the Chinese mainland.