34:
257:
number 3 tank had a devastating effect on the integrity of the ship triggering a series of explosions that destroyed the separating wall of the central and starboard tanks favoring the expansion of the volatile elements across the ship. The fire that followed also contributed to the vertical breaking of the ship's shell and the eventual sinking. Other official reports claim that the accident was caused by a collision with a
1119:
1114:
256:
The exact cause of accident is unknown but official reports suggest that during a vapor evacuation of the central number 3 tank an explosive mixture formed alongside the evacuation hole that could have been ignited by multiple sources but especially electrostatic energy. The explosion of the central
464:
lost power because of engine failure during a passage through the
Bosphorus on 27 July 2000, and drifted towards Kandilli point. There was no extensive damage reported. Finally the ship was bought by the Romanian shipping company Histria Shipmanagement having its name changed again to M/T
265:
The
Romanian shipping company "Navrom" claimed the insurance payout, amounting to US$ 36.6 million. This action resulted in a thorough inspection of the ship's wreck by independent survey teams, employed by the insurance company from
261:
mine. A different opinion (unofficial) came from some naval architects and marine engineers stating that the ship broke up because of incorrect ballasting (the ship had no cargo at the time of the accident).
456:) - Owned and managed by the then Romanian state-owned shipping company, Navrom. In the 1990s the ship was passed to the Romanian private shipping company Petromin, changing its name to M/T
520:
691:
624:
549:
390:
rescued 5 and the last crew member, Gabriel
Georgescu, was rescued by a Bulgarian helicopter after staying eight hours in the cold waters of the
236:
at a depth of 1,400 metres (4,600 ft) after a mysterious explosion. The crew totalled 43 members of which 42 were rescued by
Romanian and
590:
1163:
1143:
1173:
891:
617:
217:
95:
81:
40:
1122:
1118:
1113:
1109:
639:
1178:
1158:
610:
1056:
880:
787:
431:
and exploded. She caught fire and grounded. Almost all of the tanker's crew members died. The wreck of the
1067:
932:
841:
1077:
732:
553:
991:
407:
91:
1153:
1013:
831:
754:
680:
274:. As the inspection did not reveal any major faults in construction, the insurance was finally paid.
1168:
1148:
1045:
912:
820:
809:
765:
743:
669:
267:
224:, one of the biggest ships of the Romanian commercial fleet. She broke up and sank in 1982 in the
1094:
1024:
1002:
335:
327:
319:
311:
303:
295:
287:
282:
The rescue operation was coordinated from the
Bulgarian shore and involved eight Romanian ships,
139:
446:
413:
798:
586:
210:
1034:
969:
602:
859:
245:
1087:
939:
701:
500:
440:
163:
406:
was the second of a series of five
Romanian supertankers that were constructed by the
1137:
980:
959:
852:
721:
660:
650:
469:. The ship was finally decommissioned in 2006 after more than 20 years of service.
367:
258:
237:
77:
484:
with the only exception that the ship is still in operation under the name M/T
901:
776:
221:
126:
521:"Catastrofa navei Unirea – cel mai mare accident naval mondial din anul 1982"
424:
391:
229:
583:
Catastrofa navei Unirea: cel mai mare accident naval mondial din anul 1982
870:
711:
436:
343:
233:
225:
149:
499:) - was never fully completed. At the end of the 1980s it was passed to
480:) - had the same history (including ownership) as her older sister M/T
378:, and rescue helicopters from Romania and Bulgaria. The Romanian ships
145:
428:
423:) - collided in 1979 with a freighter at the southern entrance of
271:
606:
550:"Scurt istoric al catastrofei petrolierului romanesc Unirea"
435:
burned for weeks causing heavy air and sea pollution in the
394:. The only casualty was the ship's waitress Elena Ganță.
232:, 40 nautical miles (74 km) south-south east of the
552:(in Romanian). Romania: marinarii.ro. Archived from
950:
638:
581:Constantin, Cumpănă; Andrei-Dorian Cumpănă (2007).
585:. Constanţa: Telegraf Advertising. p. 210.
548:Constantin Cumpănă and Andrei - Dorian Cumpănă.
410:in the 1980s. The sister ships were as follows:
386:each rescued 18 crew members, the Soviet ship
618:
8:
625:
611:
603:
189:23.2 m (76 ft 1 in) moulded
633:Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1982
543:
541:
576:
574:
572:
570:
512:
248:as the largest ship accident of 1982.
18:
503:as a part of Romania's foreign debt.
30:
7:
162:299 m (981 ft 0 in)
181:17.8 m (58 ft 5 in)
16:Romanian-flagged crude oil carrier
14:
173:47 m (154 ft 2 in)
1117:
1112:
32:
1:
1164:Shipwrecks in the Black Sea
1195:
1144:Maritime incidents in 1982
1107:
921:December (unknown date):
527:(in Romanian). 2007-10-20
117:
25:
21:
118:General characteristics
1174:Ships built in Romania
240:boats. The sinking of
146:Suez Canal Net Tonnage
138:163,257 tonnes
790:Isla de los Estados
651:Akebono Maru No. 28
302:18,000 t
294:18,000 t
286:25,000 t
197:163,400 m³ (at 98%)
1079:Speedlink Vanguard
408:Constanța Shipyard
334:2,400 t
326:4,800 t
318:4,800 t
310:8,750 t
244:was classified by
92:Constanța Shipyard
1129:
1128:
1059:Bahía Buen Suceso
883:Bahía Buen Suceso
833:Atlantic Conveyor
592:978-973-87526-3-4
278:Rescue operations
222:crude oil carrier
201:
200:
1186:
1179:1982 in Bulgaria
1159:Ships of Romania
1121:
1116:
1100:
1082:
1072:
1062:
1051:
1040:
1029:
1019:
1008:
997:
986:
975:
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927:
917:
914:European Gateway
907:
896:
886:
875:
865:
847:
836:
826:
815:
804:
793:
782:
771:
760:
757:General Belgrano
749:
738:
727:
716:
706:
696:
686:
683:President Kruger
675:
672:Mekhanik Tarasov
664:
654:
627:
620:
613:
604:
597:
596:
578:
565:
564:
562:
561:
545:
536:
535:
533:
532:
517:
486:Histria Prestige
268:Lloyd's Register
127:Crude oil tanker
74:Port of registry
43:
37:
36:
35:
19:
1194:
1193:
1189:
1188:
1187:
1185:
1184:
1183:
1134:
1133:
1130:
1125:
1103:
1085:
1075:
1065:
1054:
1043:
1032:
1022:
1011:
1000:
989:
978:
967:
957:
951:Other incidents
946:
930:
920:
910:
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889:
878:
868:
850:
839:
829:
818:
807:
796:
785:
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763:
752:
741:
730:
719:
709:
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631:
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593:
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579:
568:
559:
557:
547:
546:
539:
530:
528:
525:Telegraf Online
519:
518:
514:
509:
400:
280:
254:
152:(80,899 t)
39:
33:
31:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1192:
1190:
1182:
1181:
1176:
1171:
1166:
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1156:
1151:
1146:
1136:
1135:
1127:
1126:
1108:
1105:
1104:
1102:
1101:
1086:Unknown date:
1083:
1073:
1063:
1052:
1041:
1030:
1020:
1009:
998:
994:Alferez Sobral
987:
976:
965:
954:
952:
948:
947:
945:
944:
931:Unknown date:
928:
918:
908:
897:
887:
876:
866:
848:
837:
827:
816:
805:
794:
783:
772:
761:
750:
739:
728:
717:
707:
697:
687:
676:
665:
655:
644:
642:
636:
635:
632:
630:
629:
622:
615:
607:
599:
598:
591:
566:
537:
511:
510:
508:
505:
501:Czechoslovakia
441:Sea of Marmara
399:
396:
342:tugboat, five
279:
276:
253:
252:Investigations
250:
228:waters of the
199:
198:
195:
191:
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134:
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119:
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111:
107:
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103:
99:
98:
89:
85:
84:
75:
71:
70:
67:
63:
62:
59:
55:
54:
49:
45:
44:
28:
27:
23:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1191:
1180:
1177:
1175:
1172:
1170:
1167:
1165:
1162:
1160:
1157:
1155:
1152:
1150:
1147:
1145:
1142:
1141:
1139:
1132:
1124:
1120:
1115:
1111:
1106:
1099:
1098:
1092:
1091:
1084:
1081:
1080:
1074:
1071:
1070:
1064:
1061:
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1053:
1050:
1049:
1042:
1039:
1038:
1031:
1028:
1027:
1021:
1018:
1017:
1010:
1007:
1006:
999:
996:
995:
988:
985:
984:
977:
974:
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962:
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949:
942:
941:
936:
935:
929:
926:
925:
919:
916:
915:
909:
906:
905:
898:
895:
894:
888:
885:
884:
877:
874:
873:
872:Island Cement
867:
864:
863:
857:
856:
849:
846:
845:
838:
835:
834:
828:
825:
824:
817:
814:
813:
806:
803:
802:
795:
792:
791:
784:
781:
780:
773:
770:
769:
762:
759:
758:
751:
748:
747:
740:
737:
736:
729:
726:
725:
718:
715:
714:
708:
705:
704:
698:
695:
694:
688:
685:
684:
677:
674:
673:
666:
663:
662:
656:
653:
652:
646:
645:
643:
641:
637:
628:
623:
621:
616:
614:
609:
608:
605:
594:
588:
584:
577:
575:
573:
571:
567:
556:on 2009-09-04
555:
551:
544:
542:
538:
526:
522:
516:
513:
506:
504:
502:
498:
494:
489:
487:
483:
479:
475:
470:
468:
467:Histria Crown
463:
459:
455:
451:
450:
444:
442:
439:area and the
438:
434:
430:
426:
422:
418:
417:
411:
409:
405:
397:
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393:
389:
385:
381:
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365:
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353:
349:
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333:
329:
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297:
293:
289:
285:
277:
275:
273:
269:
263:
260:
251:
249:
247:
243:
239:
235:
234:Cape Kaliakra
231:
227:
223:
219:
215:
212:
208:
207:
196:
193:
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188:
185:
184:
180:
177:
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79:
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73:
72:
68:
65:
64:
60:
57:
56:
53:
50:
47:
46:
42:
29:
24:
20:
1131:
1096:
1089:
1078:
1068:
1058:
1047:
1037:Sir Tristram
1036:
1025:
1015:
1004:
993:
982:
972:Jacksonville
971:
960:
938:
933:
923:
922:
913:
903:
892:
882:
871:
861:
854:
843:
832:
822:
811:
800:
789:
778:
767:
756:
745:
734:
723:
712:
702:
692:
682:
671:
661:Ocean Ranger
659:
649:
582:
558:. Retrieved
554:the original
529:. Retrieved
524:
515:
496:
492:
490:
485:
481:
477:
473:
471:
466:
461:
457:
453:
448:
445:
433:Independența
432:
421:Independence
420:
416:Independența
415:
412:
403:
401:
398:Sister ships
388:Ianhghi Iuli
387:
383:
379:
375:
371:
363:
359:
355:
351:
347:
339:
331:
323:
315:
307:
299:
291:
283:
281:
264:
259:World War II
255:
246:Lloyd's List
241:
213:
205:
203:
202:
51:
1154:Oil tankers
862:Porterfield
844:Sir Galahad
703:Craigantlet
372:Ianghi Iuli
1169:1980 ships
1149:Ship fires
1138:Categories
1016:Broadsword
640:Shipwrecks
560:2009-10-17
531:2009-10-17
507:References
474:Libertatea
148:79,621.22
140:deadweight
113:Sunk, 1982
1095:HMS
1088:HMS
1069:Armorique
1057:ARA
1048:Glamorgan
1046:HMS
1035:RFA
1014:HMS
1003:HMS
992:ARA
981:ARA
970:USS
961:Vortigern
902:USS
881:ARA
860:USS
853:USS
842:RFA
821:HMS
810:HMS
799:HMS
788:ARA
777:ARA
768:Sheffield
766:HMS
755:ARA
744:ARA
733:USS
722:USS
693:St. Bedan
681:SAS
462:Iris Star
458:Iris Star
425:Bosphorus
392:Black Sea
384:Tg. Bujor
376:Gordelivi
344:Bulgarian
324:Grădiștea
308:Căciulata
300:Mărășești
292:Tg. Bujor
230:Black Sea
226:Bulgarian
220:-flagged
150:long tons
78:Constanţa
1076:19 Dec:
1066:18 Sep:
1055:15 Jun:
1044:12 Jun:
1026:Bowbelle
1023:26 May:
1012:25 May:
1005:Argonaut
1001:21 May:
983:Guerrico
968:22 Mar:
940:Temehani
911:19 Dec:
900:25 Oct:
890:24 Oct:
879:21 Oct:
869:16 Oct:
855:Agerholm
851:18 Jul:
840:21 Jun:
830:30 May:
823:Coventry
819:25 May:
812:Antelope
808:24 May:
797:22 May:
786:11 May:
775:10 May:
746:Santa Fe
742:26 Apr:
735:Robinson
731:13 Apr:
724:Basilone
710:11 Mar:
700:26 Feb:
690:23 Feb:
679:18 Feb:
670:MV
668:16 Feb:
658:15 Feb:
482:Biruinţa
449:Biruința
437:Istanbul
340:Voinicul
338:and the
316:Gostinul
218:Romanian
216:) was a
211:Romanian
194:Capacity
102:Launched
66:Operator
1097:Valiant
1033:8 Jun:
990:3 May:
979:6 Apr:
958:4 Mar:
764:4 May:
753:2 May:
720:9 Apr:
648:5 Jan:
478:Liberty
454:Triumph
370:ships,
352:Rusalka
346:ships,
332:Toplița
133:Tonnage
96:Romania
88:Builder
82:Romania
41:Romania
26:History
924:Unirea
904:Savage
801:Ardent
779:Narwal
589:
429:Turkey
404:Unirea
368:Soviet
366:, two
362:, and
360:Europa
242:Unirea
238:Soviet
206:Unirea
159:Length
69:Navrom
61:Navrom
52:Unirea
38:
713:Ranga
497:Peace
493:Pacea
380:Motru
364:Kiten
348:Perun
284:Motru
272:Japan
214:Union
186:Depth
178:Draft
142:(DWT)
58:Owner
1123:1983
1110:1981
1090:Onyx
934:Mahi
893:Poet
587:ISBN
491:M/T
472:M/T
447:M/T
414:M/T
402:M/T
382:and
374:and
356:Icar
170:Beam
123:Type
110:Fate
105:1980
48:Name
336:DWT
328:DWT
320:DWT
312:DWT
304:DWT
296:DWT
288:DWT
204:MT
164:o/a
1140::
1093:,
937:,
858:,
569:^
540:^
523:.
488:.
460:.
443:.
427:,
358:,
354:,
350:,
330:,
322:,
314:,
306:,
298:,
290:,
270:,
94:,
80:,
626:e
619:t
612:v
595:.
563:.
534:.
495:(
476:(
452:(
419:(
209:(
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