Norwegian Cargo Ship Grounds in Heavy Fog Under a Bridge

Norwegian and Swedish authorities had a bit of a fright overnight when a short-sea cargo ship grounded under a vital roadway bridge linking the two countries. There was no damage to the bridge, and the vessel was refloated without injury to the crew or pollution.

The vessel Hagland Captain (4,699 dwt) was transiting the inland route with a load of timber. At approximately 0100 local time, the vessel was encountering heavy fog when the area of the Svinesund Bridge when it grounded on the Swedish side of the border.

The Swedish Coast Guard responded and notified its Norwegian counterparts. The Swedish Maritime Rescue Service also responded with environmental equipment in case of a leak from the cargo ship. The Hagland Captain had a total of 88,000 liters of oil on board, including 85,000 liters of diesel.

The Coast Guard reports it boarded the vessel and began interviews, and said it was investigating possible negligence. Thursday morning, divers were sent down to survey the hull and determine how the vessel grounded and the best action to free the vessel.

In the afternoon, the fog lifted, and two salvage tugs that had been chartered were able to pull the vessel free during the high tide. They moved the ship to a dock in Halden, Norway, for a further survey.

The media reports said there were challenging conditions in the strait between Sweden and Norway overnight. The CEO of the shipping company told Norwegian broadcaster NTB that the Hagland Captain met thicker fog than expected and slowed due to the poor visibility. The ship became caught in the current before it grounded.

The Coast Guard said it had tested the crew for alcohol. The operation was concluded on Thursday afternoon, and they reported that currently there was no suspicion of a crime.