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Remaining fuel drained from Russian ship
'Ghost ship' remains on Bear Island three months after crew neglect led to grounding

The Petrozavodsk remains stranded three months after running aground on the southern coast of Bear Island, with officials saying extensive damage and inhospitable shore geography makes the operation risky. Photo by the Norwegian Coastal Administration.

The remaining fuel has been drained from a Russian ship nearly three months after it ran aground on the southern coast of Bear Island, but officials say removal of the vessel itself remains risky and don't know when it may occur.

The Petrozavodsk drifted astray and into the coastline May 11, with the captain and first mate receiving prison sentences for neglectful behavior. Diesel spilled from the ship covered several kilometers of sea in the protected bird sanctuary, although officials say environmental damage appears minimal due to the easy-dispersing nature of the light fuel.

"It was like coming aboard a ghost ship," the NRK news agency reported this week, based on an interview with Knut Arnhus of the Norwegian Coastal Administration. "There are food leftovers on the plates. In the cabin are the photos of the families of the sailors."

The NCA, in a prepared statement, said removal of oil from the ship by the company Titan Salvage was completed Aug. 5. The operation started July 18, but was temporarily halted four days later due to poor weather.

"The Norwegian Coastal Administration and the Coast Guard has inspected on board and established that the potential pollution sources are now removed," the NCA statement notes.

The seabird colonies on the southern part of the island are considered among the largest in the northern hemisphere, with some areas of the sanctuary populated by up to 50 birds per square meter of land. NCA officials said the poor weather may have been a blessing for the wildlife due to the lack of human activity.

"Researchers at the Institute says that it appears that the incident with Petrozavodsk has had little impact on the environment," the agency's statement notes. "There has been a good nesting season for birds."

The ship's owner has been ordered to remove the vessel, but "it is regardless a very difficult and risky operation," Arnhus told NRK. He said he is not certain the removal can be completed this year.

The Petrozavodsk was carrying 30 cubic meters of oil divided into four containers. The initial spill covered about a three-kilometer-wide area of sea, but subsequent slow leaks continued to be reported for several weeks afterward.

Norwegian officials investigated the crew after satellite tracking indicated the vessel kept a steady course in its collision with the shore. The captain of the Petrozavodsk was sentenced to 18 days in jail for drinking on duty, while the first mate received a 40-day sentence for drinking and falling asleep while on watch.

The Norwegian Coast Guard's ship identification system on the north end of the island lacked the range to detect the Petrozavodsk was off course and harsh weather kept officials from reaching the collision site for 20 hours. Recommendations for improving monitoring and response are under consideration.

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