The North West Transport Prosecutor’s Office reported that a container vessel was located in St. Petersburg and subsequently refloated with the assistance of a tug, allowing it to resume its voyage through the port complex. The statement, carried by the regional news state agency, confirmed that the operation was completed safely and without reports of injuries to crew. This development underscores the effectiveness of standard salvage procedures in densely trafficked waterways and the coordinated response between port authorities, tug operators, and the ship’s management team.
“By 6 p.m., the cargo ship had been refloated with the help of tugboats and departed for the port,” the official communiqué noted, detailing the sequence of events that led to the vessel’s release from the harbor’s shallow water. The wording suggests a monitored and controlled salvage operation, with precise timing and coordination to minimize disruption to nearby traffic and ensure the vessel’s stability as it cleared the grounding area. The incident occurred amidst routine harbor operations, where tug crews routinely manage ship movements through restricted channels under the watchful eye of port control.
The grounding occurred near Bronka port on Friday, February 2, at approximately 23:00. The vessel had been maneuvering toward the pier when it unexpectedly turned and ran aground at the stern, creating a temporary bottleneck for maritime traffic. Salvage teams, working with port authorities, would have conducted a preliminary assessment of hull integrity, checked for potential breaches, and prepared the vessel for a controlled refloating operation backed by dynamic positioning and tug power. The incident serves as a reminder of the maritime risks present in near-shore maneuvering zones and the importance of careful pilotage and ship-handling procedures in challenging weather and waterway conditions.
The cargo ship “Henrikh Hasanov,” which had previously been en route to Amirabad in Iran, became stuck at the 150.4-kilometer mark on the Volga-Caspian shipping channel. Colleagues and investigators will likely review the vessel’s course, speed, and ballast calculations to determine how the grounding occurred and whether navigational aids or channel markings contributed to the incident. The ship remains a focal point for ongoing monitoring by coast guard services and river traffic controllers, who maintain real-time surveillance of the channel to prevent further risks to other vessels and to safeguard cargo integrity.
Earlier in October, it was reported that the Turkish bulk carrier Kafkametler sustained mine-related damage in the Black Sea. The blast reportedly caused limited damage to the ship’s ballast tank, although the vessel remained afloat and capable of continued service after inspections. The incident near the Sulina mouth prompted assessments of mine risk in busy maritime corridors and reinforced the need for vigilance in conflict-prone waters. Investigators emphasize that even minor hull or ballast disruptions can lead to refloating operations or rerouting of traffic to protect both ships and infrastructure.
Prior to these events, another merchant vessel was involved in an explosion near Sulina’s Danube branch in the Black Sea. Authorities have indicated that the incident caused no catastrophic loss of life and that emergency crews responded promptly to secure the vessel and surrounding area. Investigations will focus on pinpointing the exact cause, evaluating navigational data, and confirming whether external threats or underwater hazards played a role. The broader takeaway is the persistent exposure of late-model ships to regional risks and the ongoing need for robust military-civilian cooperation in securing major waterways crossing strategic routes.