Maersk supply boat strikes Transocean drilling rig

A Maersk supply vessel collided with a drilling rig owned by Transocean off the Canadian coast.

The accident occurred at 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 24 about 217 miles east of St. John’s, Newfoundland. That’s when the Maersk Detector struck one of the eight steel columns on the GSF Grand Banks platform.

The vessel’s stern was damaged above the water line and was expected to make it to shore under its own power. The platform has a nearly 15 foot gash covering 20 percent of the stricken column, said Husky Energy spokesperson Colleen Mc Connell. It will be towed for repairs when the weather allows. The rig was already scheduled for maintenance in about 60 days.

Transocean is the same company that owned the Deepwater Horizon, which exploded and killed 11 workers on April 20, 2010.

The Transportation Safety Board was sending an investigation team to the site. Maersk and Transocean were conducting internal investigations. The cause of the collision has not yet been officially determined.

There were no injuries reported among the 90 rig workers and 15 vessel crewmembers.

No environmental damage was reported.

Source: Canadian Business.com