Ferry that ran aground off the Swedish coast and leaked oil reported back in harbor
STOCKHOLM (AP) — A ferry that ran aground last month off southeastern Sweden and started leaking oil into the Baltic Sea, arrived Thursday at a Swedish harbor where its tanks will be emptied, Swedish media reported.
No new leaks were reported as the Marco Polo was towed into Karlshamn, public broadcaster SVT said. SVT quoted a Coast Guard spokesperson as saying the move was “undramatic and has gone completely according to plan.”
Separately, German shipping company TT-Line said “the remaining 300+ tons of heavy fuel oil from the unbreached tanks and unloading the cargo on board” the ferry would take place in the Swedish harbor and there would be “a more in-depth investigation into the damage sustained to the vessel.”
Authorities and volunteers continued to clean up the shores of southeastern Sweden where more than 500 birds are estimated to have been affected by oil that washed up there. An estimated 50 cubic meters (almost 1,800 cubic feet) of oil and oil waste have been removed so far.
The oil was reported along the shores of Pukavik Bay and in the gulf itself. Pukavik sits near Solvesborg, around 110 kilometers (70 miles) northeast of Malmo, Sweden’s third-largest city.
The Swedish Coast Guard said it did not yet have an overview of how much oil spilled from the ferry.
The ferry was sailing along Sweden’s coast between the cities of Trelleborg and Karlshamn when it ran aground on Oct. 22 and started leaking oil. It continued traveling under its own power but got stuck a second time.
On Sunday, severe weather dislodged it, and the ferry drifted further out before getting stranded a third time. Each time the ferry stranded, leaks were reported.
The passengers and crew were unharmed.
On Wednesday, the ferry was pulled free and anchored in the bay off Karlshamn.