The general cargo ship Karmel damaged marine fish farm off Assens, Denmark. The vessel ran into the farm, totally damaged the cages and freed 250 tons of trouts into the Little Belt Strait. During the accident, the merchant ship was bound to Kolding from Russian port Kaliningrad with a cargo of wood chips, but due to navigation mistake hit the Snaptun Fisk-Export fish farm facilities and slammed with her bow the steel cages, wrapping others with propeller. After understood the mistake the duty officer dropped anchor near the scene and reported to the local authorities. The Danish Police and Danish Maritime Authority responded to the accident and dispatched patrols and inspectors to assess the damages.

During the accident the general cargo ship Karmel did not suffered sufficient damages and remained afloat. The investigation for the root cause is under way, but according to preliminary estimates the assessment of the damages caused is around 1.5-2 million USD. The cargo ship was detained for inspection and further investigation.

“The trout, weighing about 3 kg each, had been due to be slaughtered this week”, said the co-owner and director at Snaptun Fisk, Tim Petersen. “We will seek compensation from the shipowners”, added he.

The general cargo ship Karmel (IMO: 9290672) has overall length of 90.00 m, moulded beam of 15.00 m and maximum draft of 4.50 m. The deadweight of the vessel is 4,516 DWT and the gross tonnage is 3,183 GRT. The general cargo ship was built in 2004 by Bodewes Shipyard in Hoogezand, Netherlands.