Maritime accident in Cuxhaven: oil leaks from ship cracks

In the North Sea port of Cuxhaven, Germany, an oil spill of approximately 6,000 litres has raised concerns about potential ecological consequences. The incident, resulting from a collision between the 69-metre long tanker ship "Capella" and the 44-metre long offshore supply ship "Coastal Legend," has prompted immediate action from emergency services, technical relief workers, and firefighters who have been working tirelessly since the morning of the accident.

Special equipment, known as skimmers, are being used to remove oil from the water surface, while an oil recovery aircraft explores the incident site from the air, and a special oil recovery ship is in operation. Both ships were secured in the harbour and do not pose a sinking risk.

The presence of oil in water can cause toxicity, reduce oxygen levels, and negatively impact species dependent on clean water. Experts are dealing with a "complex hazardous material incident" involving five cubic metres of hazardous material. German environmental groups have emphasized the seriousness of such spills, noting that even relatively small quantities can increase the risk of ecological damage significantly.

Environmental organization Greenpeace expects significant damage following the incident in Cuxhaven, with marine biologist Thilo Maack fearing poisoning of animals that come into contact with the oil. The Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (Nabu) considers the situation serious, with a spokesperson emphasizing the risk of serious ecological consequences.

The water police suspect that the captain of the tanker ship misjudged the situation during the collision. Nabu demands consequences for the accident, including clarification of its causes, better equipment for emergency services, a pilotage obligation in heavily trafficked sea areas, and the phasing out of highly toxic oils in shipping.

Lower Saxony's Minister for the Environment, Christian Meyer, expressed gratitude for the swift intervention of the salvage team and emergency services. Meyer also advocated for expanding the Joint Rescue and Salvage Service in response to increasing shipping traffic off the North Sea coast.

In addition to immediate containment using oil booms to limit the spill spread, prevention and remediation measures include continuous monitoring of the spill extent and impact, investigation of collision causes, international cooperation and regulatory action, and longer-term ecological restoration initiatives. Nabu states that calm harbour areas pose a risk for oil not breaking down quickly enough, potentially causing long-term damage to water quality, marine habitats, fisheries, and harbour operations.

The repeated accident in Cuxhaven, according to Nabu, demonstrates that the seas are long past their limit. Emergency services from the Technical Relief Agency in Bremerhaven arrived in the afternoon to relieve the THW helpers from Cuxhaven who had been combating the leaked oil since the morning.

In summary, while the immediate ecological threat from a 6,000-litre oil spill is serious but manageable with prompt containment, preventing recurrence and mitigating impacts requires stringent navigation safety, regulation of ship discharges, robust emergency response, and active ecological restoration programs in the North Sea region near Cuxhaven.

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