A Norwegian cargo ship that ran aground near the Svinesund Bridge, located on the Swedish side of the border, was successfully unloaded with the assistance of two tugboats by 3 p.m. on Thursday. Fortunately, there were no injuries, and no oil leak has been reported.
The incident occurred just after 1 a.m. when the vessel, carrying timber, ran aground under the bridge. The Maritime and Air Rescue Centre (JRCC) was quickly alerted, and the rescue team responded swiftly to the scene.
“We received a report about the grounding and immediately ensured that no one was injured. After confirming the safety of the crew, we handed over the operation to the Coast Guard,” said Lina Toresson, maritime rescue leader at the JRCC.
By morning, the Coast Guard had initiated their own operation, with two tugboats working together to free the vessel. By 3 p.m., the ship was successfully pulled free.
“They emptied the ballast, making the ship lighter, and then the tugboats connected to it and towed it away,” explained Victor Hall, commander of the Coast Guard.
At 5 p.m., the Coast Guard confirmed the completion of their operation, and the vessel was safely positioned in Halden.
The ship, approximately 90 meters in length, was en route to Halden when the incident occurred. On board were 88,000 litres of oil, with 85,000 Liters of diesel fuel stored in its tanks. Both Norwegian and Swedish authorities were on standby for environmental contingency measures in case of a spill.
“Although the situation was formally under Swedish jurisdiction, we were ready with environmental preparedness from the Norwegian side and maintained communication in case other vessels needed to pass through the area,” said Paul Willy Paulsen, head of the maritime traffic centre at the Norwegian Coastal Administration.
The Coast Guard has launched a preliminary investigation into potential negligence in maritime traffic and is interviewing the ship’s crew as part of their inquiry. While the cause of the grounding remains unclear, there is no suspicion of alcohol-related issues, and no suspects have been identified.
“The ongoing investigation has provided us with a clear understanding of the sequence of events, but as the investigation is still in its early stages, we cannot provide further details,” said Mattias Lindholm, spokesperson for the Coast Guard.
The swift response from both Norwegian and Swedish authorities helped ensure a successful outcome, with no significant environmental impact following the grounding.