Methanol is a dangerous cargo, even for specialised chemical tankers, like this one, the 27,611 Gross ton CAPE HORN and especially when you carrying 14,000 metric tons of the stuff !
During the berthing operation on Saturday March 22nd 2003, at Leghorn, Italy, she struck the quai. This could have caused metal to scrape against metal, resulting in a fire in one of the starboard tanks. Fire and Methanol (Methyl Alcohol) do not react well together !
The CAPE HORN is a Liberian registered 1988 Japanese built chemical/products tanker, and was on route from France when the accident occurred. 9 people were injured during this event including the master, 6 of the CAPE HORN's crew plus two crew of the local salvage tug which first tried to assist the stricken tanker. All these extraordinary photographs were kindly sent to us by FRED BURGMEIJER of the Netherlands, whose own website is worth visiting (click on his name).
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