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Tanker wreck off Brittany inspected
From May 12 to 21, 2026, at the request of the Maritime Prefect of the Atlantic, the French Navy conducted am underwater operation on the wreck of the tanker 'Erika' (IMO: 7377854) , located off Belle-Île. The mission was carried out by the Underwater Intervention Group (GISMER), one of the three divisions of the French Navy's Center of Expertise in Human Diving and Underwater Intervention (CEPHISMER), and conducted from the BSAA 'Sapeur'. The operation utilised the ROV 'Diomede'. The operations conducted between May 12 and 13 enabled a comprehensive assessment of the wreck, which was resting at a water depth of between 90 and 130 meters in two sections. This mission made it possible to: - assess the integrity of the hulls and structures; - establish a precise baseline for the wreck; - identify two cracks likely to leak hydrocarbons. The operation involved installing sealing devices on the identified breaches to prevent the release of hydrocarbons into the environment. The operation was particularly demanding due to strong currents and poor visibility. it benefited from the increasing capabilities of GISMER in the strategic area of seabed management (MFM), in preparation for the arrival of future submersibles capable of operating at depths of up to 6,000 meters, planned to start in 2027. The Maltese-flagged tanker 'Erika'' sank on Dec 12,, 1999 off the coast of Brittany after breaking in two. This disaster caused a major marine pollution, with several thousand tons of fuel oil spilled into the sea and hundreds of kilometers of coastline affected. Regular monitoring of the wreck has now taken place for more than 25 years.
New leaks on tanker wreck patched
On July 17, 2024, at the request of the Atlantic Maritime Prefect, crew from the Human Diving and Underwater Intervention Expert Center (CEPHISMER) embarked on board the chartered 'Sapeur' and intervened on the wreck of the tanker 'Tanio', which is located 25 nautical miles north of the island of Batz at a depth of 80 meters. The hull oft the ship showed intermittent hydrocarbon leaks identified during an initial dive carried out in Dec 2019. It was the subject of an intervention in Sep 2020, allowing 10 holes to be plugged. Following the suspicion of new leaks detected at the end of 2020, the maritime prefect once again mobilized CEPHISMER for new investigations in Jan 2021. These revealed the tearing off of three plates by fishing gear. In 2024, leaks have been detected, in connection with the severe winter storms, and another intervention to inspect the wreck was ordered. During three dives, several holes in the hull allowing small quantities of hydrocarbons to leak were observed. The team on board the 'Sapeur' used the ROV H2000 to fix a new sealing plate to the main cavity. Special monitoring of the coastline and maritime approaches to North Finistère will be maintained, in particular via regular satellite and aerial observations, in order to verify that no new dispersion appears. New missions such as the one carried out on July 17, 2024 could be scheduled in the coming months. On March 7, 1980, the 'Tanio', en route from Wilhelmshaven to Civitavecchia, broke in two 25 nautical miles north of the Isle of Batz. A Super Frelon helicopter of the French Navy hoisted up 31 survivors but eight crew members were missing. The tanker was carrying 28,600 tons of oil, of which approximately 10,000 tons spilled into the sea, contaminating 200 kilometers of coastline. The rear part of the tanker, containing 7,500 tons of oil, was towed to Le Havre, while the front part sank with another 10,000 tons. The pollution spread and only underwater operations, conducted for 15 months by the Compagnie Maritime d'Expertises (COMEX), made it possible to recover part of the remaining oil and plug the breaches. Despite difficult weather conditions, tides and undercurrents, 5,100 tonnes of oil were thus treated by COMEX.
Norseman Offshore files bankruptcy petition against Viking Supply Ships
Norseman Offshore has taken struggling Viking Supply Ships to court in Copenhagen. Norseman is the owner of the vessel Odin Viking which is on a bareboat charter with Sweden’s Viking. A petition for bankruptcy has been made on the basis of $2.5m unpaid hire. Viking said in a release it sees “no basis for the petition and will vigorously defend itself against it”. Viking has been in discussions with its lenders during the past months. On May 2 it entered into an in principle agreement with its lenders. “The dialogue is still not completed, but Viking Supply Ships is confident that a restructuring will be completed within the foreseeable future,” it said in a release on June 1. “The deteriorated market conditions within the global oil and gas market have continued to negatively impact the earnings and financial position of the group. The group’s liquidity position is strained and in the current market, the group is unable to fulfil existing covenant undertakings in its loan agreements,” the company warned. http://splash247.com/norseman-offshore-files-bankruptcy-petition-against-viking-supply-ships/
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