The Sea-Fidelity: Crew Feedback and Vessel Data

The shadow tanker 'Sea Fidelity' has defied recent sanctions by loading an impressive 560,000 barrels of Russian oil in St. Petersburg on November 27, 2024. This loading occurred just two days after the UK government highlighted the vessel as a case study showcasing the effectiveness of its sanctions strategy, following weeks of inactivity in the Baltic Sea. Together with the Gabon-flagged 'Artemis,' 'Sea Fidelity' was underscored by British officials as evidence of the positive impact of sanctions aimed at disrupting shadow fleet operations. As of November 28, the 'Sea Fidelity' remained stationary at position 60° 06' N 029° 20' E in the Baltic, signaling that the sanctions could still be influencing the vessel's trading activities. In 2024, the tanker navigated the English Channel ten times, transporting oil from Russian ports to destinations including India, Turkey, and Morocco. Its last delivery of crude occurred at a refinery in Gujarat on September 9 before it returned to the Baltic, where it has since been anchored. 'Sea Fidelity' is operated by Elory Logistics, a company owning single ship assets.

In a dramatic incident on September 13, 2019, a fire ignited in the engine room of the 'Dubai Harmony' at Stureterminal in Øygarde. The vessel, which had just arrived from Gothenburg at 1:15 AM, prompted the evacuation of 80 individuals due to safety concerns during a refueling operation. At the time of the fire, there were 106 people present at the terminal, and the tanker was loaded with 40,000 cubic meters of oil. The fire led to immediate emergency procedures, and while 22 essential personnel remained ready on-site, the terminal was evacuated. Authorities established a traffic and airspace ban, extending one nautical mile from the terminal and up to 3,000 meters above, respectively. The incident was officially reported to the police at 10:59 AM, triggering a rapid response which included fireboats and emergency vehicles dispatched from Bergen. Equinor played a crucial role, providing specially trained personnel to assist in firefighting efforts alongside the 15-member crew from Bergen and other teams from the Rits group. Initially, both the fire department and terminal operators were unsure whether the tanker was fully loaded, and the vessel was observed to have a slight list. To closely monitor the situation, the NSSR boat 'Kristian Gerhard Jebsen' was positioned in Hjeltefjord, prepared for any escalation of the emergency. Tugs 'Ajax,' 'Tenax,' and 'Velox' were also present at the scene to provide support. Fortunately, all 23 crew members were accounted for, with one individual treated for smoke inhalation. A security perimeter of 500 meters was established around the tanker. The Coast Guard dispatched a representative to assist with the situation assessment. Although the extent of pollution from the fire was initially unknown, the Norwegian Maritime Directorate was informed and planned to inspect the ship for damage and determine its seaworthiness in the following days. At approximately 1:10 PM, the fire was successfully extinguished, and the cooling operations began. Subsequently, the evacuation of the terminal was lifted. By evening, the offshore supply ship 'Tenax' (IMO: 9348716) continued to assist the tanker, which retained 40 tons of bunker fuel onboard. Emergency personnel completed their operations and departed between 4:00 PM and 4:30 PM, with the official ban on aircraft and vessel movements being lifted. Following the incident, police launched an investigation and began questioning the crew members. The 'Dubai Harmony' departed the terminal on September 29 at 8:40 AM, making her way to Sløvåg, where she arrived at Wergland Base AS, Stonganeset, for necessary repairs at 10:50 AM. For further information, including photos and videos, check these Norwegian news outlets: [TV2](https://www.tv2.no/a/10845059/), [NRK](https://www.nrk.no/hordaland/brann-i-tankskip-_-stureterminalen-matte-evakueres-1.14702608), [VG](https://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/i/OpP8Kq/brann-i-oljetanker-utenfor-bergen-slukket), [Sysla](https://sysla.no/offshore/brann-oljetanker-ved-stureterminalen/), [Skipsrevyen](https://www.skipsrevyen.no/article/roeykutvikling-ved-stureterminalen/), [Shipspotting](http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=3115173), [Shipspotting Video](http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=3115342).

The recent fire in the engine room of the crude oil tanker Dubai Harmony, which was docked at the Sture terminal in Øygarden municipality, has been successfully extinguished, according to a report from Equinor. The alarm center at Equinor received notifications about the blaze at 1102 this morning while the vessel was in the process of loading. Firefighting services quickly responded, and while the fire is out, efforts are still underway to cool the affected area. As a safety measure, all 102 individuals present at the Sture terminal were evacuated, leaving only essential emergency personnel on site. Equinor’s emergency response team is in constant communication with local rescue services and other authorities. Importantly, the incident did not disrupt production at the Sture terminal, which serves as a vital hub for oil from the Oseberg, Grane, Edvard Grieg, and Svalin fields.