A Maersk container ship ran aground while traveling through the Strait of Messina in Southern Italy.
Early morning on Tuesday, January 10th, the 9,000 TEU container ship, Gustav Maersk, ran aground. The local coast guard reported that the ship departed from Rijeka, Croatia and was en route to Gioia Tauro in Italy when it suffered a mechanical failure and grounded in front of the village Torre Cavallo.
The following are some video clips from when the ship ran aground:
Five hours after the event the vessel was freed and able to sail to the port of Gioia Tauro with the assistance of two tugs. There was no reported oil spill or injuries to the crew and an investigation into the cause of the incident is currently underway by the coast guard and ship registry.
Article Round-Up:
- Maersk containership runs aground in Southern Italy – Splash 24/7
- VLCS GUSTAV MAERSK grounding, Italy – FleetMon
- Maersk containership runs aground in Southern Italy – Turkish Maritime
What Can Happen If a Ship Ran Aground?
Although it is too soon to know in this specific case, when a ship runs aground it can often result in the declaration of General Average. For an example of this, read through the story of General Average and the M/V MSC Sabrina.
