Freighter Aground in the Dardanelles

A general cargo ship ran aground in the Dardanelles at around 1:30 a.m. local time Friday after suffering a steering malfunction, Turkey’s General Directorate of Coastal Safety (Kıyı Emniyeti Genel Müdürlüğü) reports.

The 3,194 dwt Schillig was sailing from the Black Sea port of Constanta in Romania to the port of Casablanca, Morocco, when it reportedly lost steering and ran aground in shallow waters near Dalyan.

Local maritime authorities sent out a tugboat and a patrol ship to assist the Gibraltar-flagged freighter and its crew.

So far there have been no reports of any injuries or oil pollution. The damage to the 2012-built freighter is unknown.

The Schillig is owned by Germany’s Briese Schiffahrt, and managed by the Netherlands-based Briese Shipping.

World Maritime News Staff; Image: Kıyı Emniyeti Genel Müdürlüğü