The Bahamas flagged M/V Petersfield, a 41,000 DWT bulk ship has raised concern with residents living along the coast of British Columbia, Canada after it suffered damage stemming from a reported steering malfunction.  The Canadian Transportation board reported that the ship veered sharply to starboard while underway resulting in the ship hitting the shore.  Water depth along the shoreline in the area is deep which avoided more extensive damage to the ships hull.  Damage was limited to the forpeak tank, and did not result in a release of fuel or cargo.  Cargo on board at the time of the accident was reportedly lumber and soda ash.  No injuries were reported, and the ship has been granted permission to proceed from Kitimat south towards Vancouver for repairs.

Although no pollution resulted from the incident, residents living along the coast are worried that tanker using a proposed tanker route for the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines project could suffer a similar accident, resulting in the Canadian equivalent of Exxon Valdez.  The proposed pipeline would link the Alberta oil sands to the port of Kitimat, which would be served by ships known as VLCC’s, or very large crude carriers, of up to 320,000 deadweight tons. The Exxon Valdez, which ran aground and caused a massive oil spill off Alaska in 1989, was 211,000 DWT.

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The Globe & Mail – Freighter damaged along proposed B.C. Shipping Lane

The Northern View – First Nations, politicians and Enbridge respond to accident in Douglas Channel