On Sunday, October 22, a Ro-Pax ship/ferry ran aground in southern Sweden, resulting in a diesel spill extending over several kilometers. Fortunately, all 75 passengers onboard were safely evacuated.
TT-Line's Marco Polo ferry (1993-built/IMO 9019080) became stuck to the south of Karlshamn early in the day, as reported by the Swedish coastguard.
In a statement, the coastguard confirmed that the ship had "leaked diesel fuel for several kilometers before running aground." The presence of thick fog in the area complicated efforts to assess the full extent of the spill.
maritime authorities have initiated an investigation to determine the cause of the accident and whether any breaches of maritime law occurred.
The ferry was operating on the Swedish route Trelleborg-Karlshamn but deviated from its usual course when the grounding occurred.
By late afternoon, the oil slick had reached the shoreline within the municipality of Solvesborg, as reported by local authorities.
The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency has been called upon to assist in managing the situation and will commence decontamination efforts at the site on Monday.