STOLT GROENLAND
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Report on explosion accident published
On July 20, 2021, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has published a report on the violent explosion that occurred on the 'Stolt Groenland' in Ulsan in September 2019. The report concluded that heated tanks on board were the cause of the accident. N people were killed, but 10 were injured when the violent explosion occurred. According to the report the temperature-sensitive styrene in one of the tanks was overheated, causing the styrene to convert to polystyrene, causing the pressure and heat in the tank to rise exponentially. Full report: https://www.gov.uk/maib-reports/cargo-tank-explosion-and-fire-on-chemical-tanker-stolt-groenland
Polymerized styrene from cargo and ballast tanks
The 'Stolt Groenland' remains lifted ashore at the Sungdong Shipyard in Tongyeong. Work was continued on removing polymerized styrene from its cargo and ballast tanks. The completion of this work was expected to take several more months. In a recent Korean state hearing, the head of the ministry for maritime and fisheries was called as a witness for an update on progress. According to the report from the hearing the shipping company was postponing finalizing a full repair contract, preferring to move to China for less costly repairs in a move that is meeting resistance in South Korea.
Over-heated cargo of styrene monomer blamed for the explosion
An over-heated cargo of styrene monomer has been blamed for the explosion on the 'Stolt Groenland', investigators foudn out. Styrene monomer had reached 100-degrees Celcius on the tanker, rupturing deck and leading to ignition of vapour. Flames spread to the adjacent tanker 'Bow Dalian' before being extinguished. The U.K. Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) stated in a preliminary report: "The explosions on board 'Stolt Groenland' were probably caused by the rupture of the deck above 9S cargo tank, followed immediately by the ignition of the styrene monomer vapour that was then released. The rupture was due to over-pressurisation and the likely sources of the ignition were static electricity, sparks or elevated steel deck plate temperatures resulting from the tank rupture." No cargo operations or deck maintenance were in progress at the time of the incident.
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