UK: Oil Tanker’s Cargo Transfer Cancelled

Poor weather conditions have prevented the transfer of a stricken oil tanker’s cargo to another ship along the Co Down coast.

Genmar Companion was sailing from Rotterdam to New York to deliver its cargo of 54,000 tones of vacuum gas oil when a crack developed on its upper deck in the middle of December.

The oil tanker was 40 miles west of Tory Island, Co Donegal, when the crack was reported.

BW Seine, the offload tanker, is anchored close to the damaged vessel in Belfast Lough.

The transfer process was scheduled to begin on Saturday, however, poor weather conditions delayed the offload tanker’s journey to Northern Ireland. It was then rescheduled to commence on Monday, but has been further delayed.

The situation was supposed to be reviewed again this morning.

The unloading process is expected to take approximately 24-36 hours.

Once the unloading is completed, the Genmar Companion will enter Belfast Harbor for repairs. The vessel has been sheltering off the Copeland Islands at the entrance to the bay since 16 December.

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World Maritime News Staff, January 4, 2012;