Fuel Tanker Runs Aground In Canadian Arctic
Date: 03-Sep-10
Country: CANADA
Author: Jeffrey Jones
A fuel tanker loaded with 9 million liters (2.4 million gallons) of diesel fuel has run aground in Canada's Far North but none of the fuel has spilled, the Canadian Coast Guard said on Thursday.
The 117 meter (384 foot) vessel, called the Nanny, got hung up on a sand bar southwest of the community of Gjoa Haven in the territory of Nunavut on Wednesday, said Larry Trigatti, superintendent of environmental response in the Canadian Coast Guard's central and Arctic region.
"There's no pollution. We've had two overflights of the area," Trigatti said. "The vessel has not reported any damage. There is no egress of water into the vessel and the crew is safe."
The vessel is owned by Woodward's Oil and was carrying the diesel fuel to supply villages in the remote region.
It is the second time in less than a week a ship has run aground in the Northwest Passage through Canada's Arctic archipelago. Last Friday, the Clipper Adventurer, a tourist vessel with about 130 passengers, struck an uncharted rock. The passengers were evacuated.
Trigatti said the Coast Guard has a ship in the area and was working with Transport Canada and the company to free the grounded tanker. There are no plans to evacuate the crew.
(Editing by Rob Wilson)
