Stanislaw Dubois
From Chemical Spill Response
The cargo ship “Stanislaw Dubois” was sailing the north sea with her cargo of 857 tonnes of calcium carbide, 955 tonnes of caustic soda, 5,6 tonnes of explosives and 5,4 tonnes of a flammable organic peroxide. On April 2 1981, a collision with the “Omdurmann” caused a crack in the ship’s hull. Following the crack the hold flooded with water, causing risk of explosion, as calcium carbide is flammable upon contact with water.
Negotiations lasted for 7 days until decision was made to lighter the ship of it’s fuel and scuttling it. Eventually the Stanislaw Dubois was sunk at a depth of 72 m, north of Texel island.
