Specialists are investigating the origin of the blaze on a Baltic oil tanker.
On a Friday morning, a fire erupted on an oil tanker named "Annika" between Warnemünde and Kühlungsborn. A vast team of rescuers averted an ecological catastrophe in the Baltic Sea by putting out the flames. The origin of the fire is being investigated. One specialist has put forward a potential explanation.
Investigations into the fire's cause on the ship "Annika" are scheduled for Monday. The vessel, towed into Rostock port early in the morning, will be maintained as a crime scene for the subsequent 48 hours, except for fire and line patrols. After this period, criminal police and the Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation will board the ship to conduct their investigations, as announced by Rostock's responsible senator, Chris von Wrycz Rekowski.
The ship must first rest to allow any toxic gases to disperse, according to a spokesperson for the Rostock Water Police. Measures have been taken by the ship's owner, who has signed a salvage contract for this purpose, the senator announced.
The diving and salvage company Baltic examined the ship's hull, which had docked at berth 31 at 1:00 AM, as early as noon. The dive, recorded with a helmet camera, was to detect any potential deformations on the hull due to heat development. Simon Müller of the Baltic divers also reported paying attention to any modifications to the paint.
German Maritime Rescue Service's Satisfaction
Benedikt Spangardt, spokesperson for the German Maritime Rescue Service, commended the operation's progress throughout the night. Three fire departments from Kiel, Lübeck, and Rostock were involved. "The outcome was positive as no one was seriously injured, the crew is safe, and there's no water pollution or oil spill in the Baltic Sea," he said.
The fire in the port was extinguished by the German Maritime Rescue Service, ending the overall operation, they announced. Around 120 emergency services were called into action. The emergency services, according to the acting head of the Rostock fire department, Michael Allwardt, carried out final checks on board in the early morning hours to ensure there were no remaining hotspots.
Possible Explosion on Board
The 73-meter-long "Annika" caught fire about 4.5 kilometers off Heiligendamm. "During the operation, it was unclear where the fire started. Alongside the engine room, a storage area for paints and varnishes was also considered a potential source of the fire," the German Maritime Rescue Service reported.
The police investigations will reveal more details about this and the fire's cause. The rear area, where the fire is believed to have originated, also houses the superstructure with the bridge and the engine room, where significant damage was caused by the fire.
An expert involved in the salvage operation stated that only rapid fire suppression efforts prevented a disaster in the Baltic Sea. He reported an explosion on board due to a burst fuel line in the engine room, which then ignited the paint and varnish storage area.
Specialist Firefighters in Action
Multi-purpose ships and a rescue cruiser soaked the tanker with vast quantities of water and fought the fire from the outside. Trained firefighters then boarded the ship to prepare for the tow to Rostock. A "First-Response-Team" from the Kiel professional fire brigade also boarded the ship.
The "Annika," sailing under the German flag, was carrying around 640 tons of oil. The ship was headed to Travemünde and used, among other things, to fuel larger vessels.
Politicians and associations expressed environmental concerns regarding tanker traffic on the heavily trafficked Kadetrinne between Germany and Denmark shortly after the incident. Preliminary findings suggest that the cargo hold of the 12-meter-wide double-hulled tanker remained unaffected.
The incident occurred within sight of the popular tourist coast between Warnemünde and Kühlungsborn. The head of the state tourism association, Tobias Woitendorf, stated, "This is the type of situation that tourism always dreads."
The shipping company is expected to organize a new voyage once the investigations have been completed and the ship is declared safe for sailing. The ship's interior, particularly the engine room and superstructure, are undergoing extensive repairs to restore it to its pre-incident condition.
To facilitate the shipping of essential supplies and equipment needed for the repairs, special arrangements have been made to expedite the clearance of the ship through customs and port authorities.
