Incident Photo of The Week – Russian reefer ship Petrozavodsk grounded

Updated: February 5, 2026 (Originally published May 15, 2009)

This week’s incident photo is provided by the Norwegian Coastal Administration, are of the 1,287 dwt Russian reefer ship Petrozavodsk that grounded and subsequently ran into sheer rock cliffs south of Bear Island, which is between Svalbard and the North Norwegian coastline.  All 12 crew aboard the vessel were successfully rescued but the vessel was severly damaged after rocks penetrated the vessel’s port side.  Fears of landslides and falling stones have hampered salvage operations.

While the cause of the incident remains under investigation, it is being reported that the Captain of the vessel has been arrested and charged with drinking alcohol while on duty after reviews of the vessel’s maneuvers prompted a blood-alcohol test.  Additionally, the vessel’s mate is charged for sleeping and drinking on duty, according to the Barent’s Reserver.

Initial fears that the vessel was leaking oil have been eased after only a small sheen was spotted and has since dissipated.

More high-resolution images of this incident can be found HERE

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