Jakob Maersk
Encyclopedia
The Jakob Maersk was a Danish
oil tanker
that struck a sand bank on January 29, 1975 while entering the port of Leixões
, Portugal
, causing a major oil spill
. Built in 1966, the tanker was owned by Maerskline Navigation Company. She was 261.81 meters long and had a crew of 32.
Jakob Maersk was carrying 88,000 tons of crude oil when she attempted to enter the harbor at Leixões, near Porto, Portugal. She grounded on a sand bank, causing a huge explosion and subsequent fire that burned for days. The explosion broke the ship apart, spilling crude oil into the water. Six crewmen were killed.
of the oil spill began with the placement of a floating boom at the harbor entrance. A straw barrier was placed around the wreck to briefly contain the spill while boats spread dispersants
.
Local beaches were extensively affected. It was estimated that 15,000 tons of oil were washed up on 32 km of coastline, and traces of hydrocarbons were found on beaches 50 km from the Jakob Maersk. The most affected beach was the shore immediately adjacent to the wreck, where cleanup began with the removal of the upper layer of sand and the application of dispersants.
The cost of the catastrophe was estimated at 2.8 million dollars by the international Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
oil tanker
Oil tanker
An oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a merchant ship designed for the bulk transport of oil. There are two basic types of oil tankers: the crude tanker and the product tanker. Crude tankers move large quantities of unrefined crude oil from its point of extraction to refineries...
that struck a sand bank on January 29, 1975 while entering the port of Leixões
Leixões
Leixões is located 4 km to the north of Douro River mouth, in Matosinhos municipality, near the city of Porto. Leixões is one of Portugal's major seaports. Leixões Sport Club, commonly knows simply as Leixões, is Matosinhos' sports club....
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, causing a major oil spill
Oil spill
An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially marine areas, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. The term is mostly used to describe marine oil spills, where oil is released into the ocean or coastal waters...
. Built in 1966, the tanker was owned by Maerskline Navigation Company. She was 261.81 meters long and had a crew of 32.
Jakob Maersk was carrying 88,000 tons of crude oil when she attempted to enter the harbor at Leixões, near Porto, Portugal. She grounded on a sand bank, causing a huge explosion and subsequent fire that burned for days. The explosion broke the ship apart, spilling crude oil into the water. Six crewmen were killed.
Containment and cleanup
ContainmentContainment
Containment was a United States policy using military, economic, and diplomatic strategies to stall the spread of communism, enhance America’s security and influence abroad, and prevent a "domino effect". A component of the Cold War, this policy was a response to a series of moves by the Soviet...
of the oil spill began with the placement of a floating boom at the harbor entrance. A straw barrier was placed around the wreck to briefly contain the spill while boats spread dispersants
Bioremediation
Bioremediation is the use of microorganism metabolism to remove pollutants. Technologies can be generally classified as in situ or ex situ. In situ bioremediation involves treating the contaminated material at the site, while ex situ involves the removal of the contaminated material to be treated...
.
Local beaches were extensively affected. It was estimated that 15,000 tons of oil were washed up on 32 km of coastline, and traces of hydrocarbons were found on beaches 50 km from the Jakob Maersk. The most affected beach was the shore immediately adjacent to the wreck, where cleanup began with the removal of the upper layer of sand and the application of dispersants.
Ecological effects
Ecological damage appeared to be limited. Only half a dozen oiled birds were discovered during the first week on nearby shores. There was no apparent harmful effect on local fish populations, although a temporary difference in taste was observed. Dead seaweed and molluscs were found, but growth resumed shortly thereafter and populations returned to normal levels.The cost of the catastrophe was estimated at 2.8 million dollars by the international Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is an international economic organisation of 34 countries founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and world trade...
.