Shipping Disasters Since 1990
M/V BRIGHT FIELD - 763 ft. Liberian Registered Bulk Cargo Carrier. Owner; COSCO. Built; 1/12/88
Date & Location: 12/14/1996, 2:30pm. New Orleans, LA, Riverwalk Shopping Complex
Incident: Vessel lost propulsion due to a failed engine lube oil pump. The vessel slammed into the boardwalk causing massive damage to several properties and the boardwalk itself. Narrowly missed the casino boat FLAMINGO CASINO, which had 800 passengers aboard.
Casualties: 116 injured (on grounds).
Misc. Info.: As of 1/31/00 the Bright Field was seen sailing as the BRIGHT STAR.
BRIGHT FIELD aerial view after collision with Riverwalk. Photo by David
Harvey
BRIGHT FIELD - Close up. Photo by David Harvey
SEA BULK PRIDE - 575 ft. double hulled tanker.
Date & Location: February 2, 2006, 5:25 am. 1/2 mile north of Big Tender Stock in Cook Inlet, Kodiak Alaska.
Incident: Sea Bulk Pride ran aground after breaking free from its moorings during loading operations. 34 crewman aboard.
Casualties: None
Misc. Info.: No spill reported.
SEA BULK PRIDE - High and dry.
TWIN STAR - Panamanian Flagged Cargo ship. 23,701 DWT.
Date & Location: January 27 2006. Port of Callao entrance, Peru.
Incident: Heavy fog contributed to the collision of the TWIN STAR and the Cyprus flagged PINTAIL. The TWIN STAR split in two and sank. Short while later another vessel, the M/V Alice, hit the sunken TWIN STAR. No serious damage to the ALICE. 22 crewman aboard the TWIN STAR.
Casualties: All 22 crewman rescued.
Misc. Info: Cargo consisted of rolled steel coil. Cargo and bunkers salvaged by Smit Salvage.
TWIN STAR - shortly after collision.
Good shots showing thick fog.
Rescue in progress.
PINTAIL, shown years earlier on the Great Lakes, collided with the TWIN STAR.
Photo by John Harris
M/V APL PANAMA - 880 ft. 40,306 gt Antigua-Barbuda flagged container ship. Owner: APL. Built 2000.
Date & Location: December 25 2005. 1.5 miles S.E. of Port of Ensenada Mexico.
Incident: Vessel failed to wait for Port Pilot and tugs to assist into Port. The vessel grounded on beach with a full cargo and 25 crewman. Vessel was off-loaded and several attempts to free her failed. It wasn't until March 10 2006 at 4:41 am that she was finally freed. Minor damage to vessel, with the exception to her propeller.
Casualties: None.
Misc. Info.: Crowley Maritime Co. were awarded re-float contract.
M/V APL PANAMA - on the beach, being lightered by a Sikorsky S-64 Sky Crane
helicopter.
Crowley tugs attempting to pull the APL PANAMA free.
Crowd gathers around grounded APL PANAMA - Photo by John Gibbons
M/T VICUNA (ex-M/T Jo. CYPRESS) - 17, 465 gt. Chilian flagged tanker. Built 1983.
Date & Location: November 16, 2004. Port of Paranagua Brazil.
Incident: While unloading 11, 225 metric tons of methanol, the VICUNA exploded. The ship was completely destroyed and the terminal was heavily damaged. 28 crewman onboard.
Casualties: 4 dead, 24 rescued.
Misc. Info.: Salvage contract awarded to Smith Tak and Wijmuller.
M/T VICUNA - Shortly after explosion.
Close-up of superstructure.
Damaged pier.
M/T MAERSK HOLYHEAD - 17,980 gt, 159 meters, Venezuelan flagged tanker. Owner; A.P. Moller-Maersk.
Date & Location: November 6, 2005, 5:45pm. Lake Maracaibo Venezuela.
Incident: The HOLYHEAD deviated from her course and collided with the bulk carrier PEQUOT. The HOLYHEAD was carrying 11,200 metric tons of propane. Fortunately there was no major explosion and both vessels survived the collision. The PEQUOT was carrying coal and sustained bow damage. The HOLYHEAD received a hole in her starboard side and leaked some of her bunker fuel. The leak was secured the following day.
Casualties: None
Misc. Info.:
Below are a series of on-board photos from the PEQUOT.
