Reefer vessel runs aground in Bosphorus

The Crown Emma ran aground on the western bank of the Bosphorus Strait near Kirecburnu, Turkey and nearly collided with a gas station on shore, according to reports from Splash 24/7.    A refrigerated container (reefer) vessel ran aground in the Bosphorus Strait in Northwest Turkey last night, according to reports from the online maritime news outlet Splash 24/7.
   The 10,351-dwt reefer ship Crown Emma ran aground on the western bank of the Bosporus near Kirecburnu, Turkey and nearly collided with a gas station on shore en route from Varna, Bulgaria to Algeciras, Spain.
   The Barbaos-flagged vessel was built in 1996 and is operated by Amalia Shipping of Sweden, according to online vessel registry Equasis. Initial reports indicate the cause of the grounding was a mechanical failure in the Crown Emma‘s rudder.
   No injuries or serious damage have been reported as of the time of publication of this article.
   An important cargo gateway, the Bosphorus connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmarais – and, by extension, the Aegean, and Mediterranean Seas – and is the world’s narrowest strait used for international navigation. Increased traffic flows and larger ships calling in the Black Sea have resulted in an increase in groundings in the strait this year.