Cargo ship grounded by weather in Turkey, operations underway to offload fertilizer

A rescue operation is underway to free the Kamerun-flagged cargo ship NINOVA, which ran aground in Karasu, Turkey, after being swept into the Black Sea by adverse weather. Teams have begun offloading the ship's cargo of 1,775 tons of ammonium sulfate fertilizer, packed in "Big Bag" containers. The fertilizer is being transferred in 1-ton packages to the "Bahri Reis-III" vessel using a mobile crane. The plan is to transport the entire cargo to Karasu Port over six trips.

Following the cargo removal, efforts will focus on refloating the NINOVA. Divers will inspect the vessel for damage. If no significant damage is found, the ship will be towed offshore. The 80-meter-long NINOVA ran aground on May 1, and its 8-person crew, comprising one Turkish national and seven from Azerbaijan, were rescued via a "vargele" system.

Previous measures to mitigate potential environmental impact included three inspection dives by divers and the deployment of a floating barrier around the ship on May 8 to prevent any possible leaks. Additionally, oil, fuel, and bilge water were pumped out of the ship as part of a cleanup operation.