Coast Guard: Listing Ship May Be Leaking Fuel
A Mitsui O.S.K. cargo ship listing in rough seas near Alaska's Aleutian Islands might be leaking fuel from its tanks, the U.S. Coast Guard said. According to Bloomberg, observers have reported a light and broken sheen extending two miles around the vessel, which is carrying 430 metric tons of fuel oil and 112 metric tons of diesel.. Mitsui's Cougar Ace, which has a cargo of at least 4,700 Mazda Motor Corp. vehicles estimated to be worth $117.5m, foundered on July 22 while en route to Tacoma, Wash. A team from salvage company Crowley Marine is due to reach the location of the Cougar Ace, about 230 miles south of the Aleutian Islands, on August 2, with the aim of towing the ship to a nearby port. (Source: Bloomberg)
Mazda Cars Stranded on Cougar Ace
The fate of thousands of Mazda Motor Corp. cars is uncertain after the ship carrying them to North America rolled over on its side in the Pacific Ocean. The automaker had 4,700 vehicles aboard the automobile carrier Cougar Ace that began taking on water on July 23 and listed so heavily that the 23 member crew had to be rescued the following day the US Coast Guard. The 199.3 m Mitsui OSK. Lines ship was still afloat on July 26 with its keel and propeller out of the water, but did not appear to be sinking, a US Coast Guard spokesman said. Mazda imports most of its vehicles to North America from Japan. The shipment aboard the Cougar Ace was bound for Vancouver, B.C., Tacoma, Wash., and then Port Hueneme near Ventura, Calif. More than half the cars on board are Mazda 3 models.
