René 16
- Name
- René 16
- Accident date
- 16/01/1976
- Location
- Sweden
- Accident area
- Port of Landskrona
- Spill area
- Port/harbour
- Cause of spill
- Structural damage
- Product transported
- Anhydrous ammonia
- Quantity transported
- 550 tonnes
- Nature of pollutant
- Anhydrous ammonia
- Quantity spilled
- 180 tonnes
- Ship / structure type
- Gas tanker
- Flag
- Belgian
The Belgian gas carrier René 16 entered the port of Landskrona (Sweden) to unload its cargo of 550 tonnes of anhydrous ammonia, intended for a fertiliser plant on the port complex.
During the unloading operation, a pipe burst due to the incompatibility of its construction material with ammonia. In total, 180 tonnes leaked out in 50 minutes. A vast cloud enveloped the vessel, before moving in the direction of the wind towards a shipyard where 2 people were at work.
The fire service used pressurised water to spray the cloud so that a valve could be closed to stop the leak. The fire fighters, wearing protective clothing and equipment, boarded the vessel to close the valve of the discharge pipeline. After the cloud of ammonia had dispersed,
2 members of the crew were found dead on the quayside. The investigation showed that they had been sprayed with ammonia.
See also
Chemical Response Guide, Ammonia (PDF)
External links
Incident report available on the website Rempec
CIIMAR database: fate and weathering of Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS) involved