An oil tanker and bulk carrier collided Tuesday morning off the coast of Shandong province resulting in an oil spill spreading across the Yellow Sea, Chinese authorities said.
“The collision damaged the cargo compartments of the tanker and a small amount of oil spill was found in the sea,” the Shandong province Maritime Safety Authority said on Wednesday in a Weibo post.
The two ships are now stable, according to officials.
A Symphony, an almost 900-foot tanker flying the Liberian flag, was at anchor when the 620-foot long Sea Justice vessel crashed into it in the waters off Shandong province.
“The force of the impact on the front of the port side caused a crack in the cargo and ballast tanks, with a quantity of crude oil spilled into the ocean,” the tanker’s operator, Goodwood Ship Management, said on Tuesday in a statement.
Following the collision, “the master initiated emergency procedures onboard, mobilizing the vessel’s oil spill response team and initiating an internal transfer to limit the loss of product,” the company explained.
No injuries or fatalities were reported, but other ships have been warned to stay at least 11.5 miles away from the site of the crash.
A Symphony was reportedly carrying up to 1 million barrels of bitumen. Authorities have not shared how much of the oil product was spilled, but 12 boats have been deployed to clean up the crash site.
"The accident took place about 11 nautical miles south-east of Qingdao port and so far there has been no direct impact on the operation of Qingdao port," a Shandong official told Reuters.
