As Fuel Washes Up on Black Sea Beaches, Third Russian Tanker Reports Leak
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As a massive fuel spill from the lost tankers Volgoneft-212 <\/em>and Volgoneft-239<\/em> washes up in Russia’s corner of the Black Sea, a third ship in the same fleet has reported an internal tank leak.\u00a0<\/p>\n According to Russian transport agency Rosmorrechflot, the aging river-sea tanker Volgoneft 212<\/em> sank in a severe storm Sunday about five nautical miles outside of the Kerch Strait. Waves in excess of 25 feet were forecast by Russia’s meteorological agency in advance of the sinking. A video taken by a crewmember shows that the aging vessel broke up in the storm, and the bow could be seen floating away from the bridge deck.\u00a0<\/p>\n Two Russian Oil Tankers Damaged in Black Sea, Causing Major Oil Spill<\/p>\n Kerch Strait Incident Claims One Life as Cleanup Operations Begin<\/p>\n December 15, 2024 \u2014 Sea And Coast ???? (@seaandcoast1) December 15, 2024<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n In addition, the tanker Volgoneft-239<\/em> went aground off Taman in the same storm on Sunday. Early reports on Monday indicated that this vessel was also leaking fuel oil, and the crew was evacuated for safety.<\/p>\n A third tanker,\u00a0Volgoneft-109,<\/em> reported Tuesday that it had developed an internal leak in a cargo tank. This crack was spilling fuel into a ballast tank, according to state news outlet TASS. The vessel remains stable and watertight at a position\u00a0off Kavkaz, on the Sea of Azov side of Kerch Strait. The crew is still on board, attended by a salvage vessel.\u00a0<\/p>\n New bystander footage emerged Tuesday showing the disastrous outcome of the spills on the Russian side of the Kerch Strait. Weather has carried the fuel onto shore near Anapa, a popular destination for Russian domestic tourism, and about 15 nautical miles of beachfront are covered in sludge. Volgoneft-212<\/em> was carrying about 4,300 tonnes of mazut, a Russian and Central Asian residual fuel oil produced from low-quality feedstocks.\u00a0<\/p>\n Russian Telegram channels report that a third Volgoneft vessel carrying 4,000 tons of mazut, has reported leaking in one of the tanks.<\/p>\n So far, mazut hasn’t leaked into the sea. It’s unclear whether another environmental disaster can be avoided. https:\/\/t.co\/AV2TZje59l<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/hxmmTWisuO<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) December 17, 2024<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Fuel oil from the wrecked tankers Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239 washed up on the Black Sea coast. Krasnodar Krai, Russia. https:\/\/t.co\/mpK38XFrdP<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/1gPfnAnzhX<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Special Kherson Cat ???????????? (@bayraktar_1love) December 17, 2024<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Volgoneft-212, 239 <\/em>and 109<\/em> were all built between 1969 and 1973, produced under\u00a0a major construction program in the Soviet Union that delivered hundreds of ships for the Black Sea-Volga “river-sea” tanker and freighter fleet. Many of these aging vessels are still in service today; with Western sanctions and domestic shipyard bottlenecks, Russian operators appear to have few options for replacing them in the near future.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \t\n
\nIn a severe maritime accident, two Russian oil tankers, Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239, have been heavily damaged in the\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/IUvsQ7wilP<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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