Freighter Strands Beyond Navigational Path in the Øresund

On sunday, a Turkish cargo ship ran aground in the Øresund Strait, prompting an investigation by the Swedish Coast Guard for potential gross negligence.

The bulker, named Ali Aykin, was making its way northward early that morning. It was transporting scrap metal from Gdansk, Poland to Setubal, Portugal when it veered off course. Around 12:15 AM, it strayed from the designated shipping lane and at 1:00 AM struck a shoal just outside the marked fairway near the Øresund Bridge.

Image courtesy of Pole Star

A crew member has been taken into custody on charges related to “gross negligence in maritime traffic,” as reported by local media outlets. Investigators are currently interviewing other crew members and collecting evidence from the vessel itself.

“The Sound is filled with shoals and tricky inlets,” noted Mattias Lindholm from the Swedish Coast Guard while speaking to Hallands Nyheter. “It’s crucial for vessels to stick to clearly marked routes.”

The salvage operation is already being planned with a Swedish response vessel monitoring developments on-site. The ship contains approximately 18,000 gallons of diesel fuel; however, no signs of pollution have been reported thus far.

The 5,000 dwt bulker is not new—it’s been sailing for 26 years and has faced numerous inspection issues recently. In just six months alone, it received over 60 deficiency citations! Last year in Sweden alone, it was detained for serious violations such as damaged hatches and malfunctioning safety equipment like watertight doors and fire pumps.

(Top image: Øresund Bridge – Nick D / CC BY SA 4.0)