A salvage operation is being planned after a Wilson mini-bulker went aground off Iceland.
The Barbados-flagged 6,500-dwt Wilson Skaw (built 1996) got stuck at Ennishofdi in Hunafloi on Tuesday afternoon and the coastguard ship Freyja arrived at the scene later that day.
Bergen-based Wilson’s chief financial officer Stig Vangen confirmed the grounding to TradeWinds.
He said the vessel’s bunker tanks are intact and there has been no leakage for the time being.
But ballast tanks have been breached.
The bulker is partially loaded with an unharmful cargo of salt, Vangen added.
“Further plans are developing as we speak to assess the situation,” he said.
A coastguard helicopter flew over the ship today and surveyed the situation.
The condition of the vessel and crew is being monitored.
The coastguard praised the action of the seafarers on board and said no pollution was visible around the ship.
The crew of the rescue ship Landsbjargar was also standing by.
Diving inspection scheduled
Weather conditions were reported to be good and coastguard divers were due to inspect the hull.
A pollution-prevention boom will also be placed around the ship.
“The main focus is on protecting the environment,” the coastguard said, adding that direct salvage operations were not scheduled to begin until Wednesday at the earliest.
The Wilson Skaw was heading from Hvammstangi to Holmavik at the time.
The bulker has insurance through Skuld in Norway.
There are no port state control detentions on its record.
