Video: Bulker Hits Containership off Turkey After RoPax-Bulker Also Collide

Turkish authorities are investigating two collisions that both took place on Sunday, September 17, in the waters near Istanbul. According to the media reports, the two incidents happening on the same day has raised questions about the navigation procedures and the communication protocols for ships maneuvering in the busy seaways near Istanbul.

The RoPax ferry Patria Seaways operated by DFDS was departing Tuzka, Turkey bound for Trieste, Italy. The vessel was returning to service after having been idle for a few days for repair. She is 18,300 gross tons and 505 feet in length. The RoPax is registered in Lithuania.

 

 

She made contact with the Yasa Pioneer, an 82,850 dwt bulker registered in the Marshall Islands that was departing Turkey for Novorossiysk, Russia. The vessels were reported to be six nautical miles south of Yasa Island in the Marmara Sea. Few details were released but the image shows significant damage to the port side forward superstructure of the RoPax and a dent near midship on the 751-foot bulker.

Turkey’s Directorate General of Coastal Safety (KEGM) is also investigating a contract that happened in the anchorage south of Istanbul. In this case, a dry bulker carrier New Legend registered in Hong Kong was maneuvering into the anchorage. The vessel’s AIS shows it was coming from the Middle East while the Turkish media says it was returning from the Kerch Strait in Russian-occupied Crimea.

 

 

The 752-foot bulker which is 93,000 dwt was maneuvering and failed to stop in time hitting the stern of the Elbsun, a smaller Portuguese registered containership. The 12,283 dwt containership was already in the anchorage having arrived on September 16 from Morocco.

The maneuvering and contact were caught on video from another nearby ship. The containership suffered a large dent on its stern. 

Turkish authorities are emphasizing that no one was injured and there was no pollution from the incidents.