Read Authentic Ratings for the Oraness

On May 17 short past midnight the tugs "Stein" and "Bülk" entered the Kiel Canal. Among the ships which had to wait for the canal transit were the "Geert K", "Sirius" amd "Norderoog". The tug "Stein" connected to the bow of the "Oraness", followed by the "Bülk" around 1 a.m. The "Norderoog" was allowed to pass the accident site now. At 1.30 a.m. the tugs started to turn the tanker around and pulled it towards the North Port in Kiel. At 2 a.m. the tanker was berthed at the Voith Quay at berth 33, and the tugs were called off. The "Oraness" left Kiel port again on May 17 at 7 p.m. and resumed the voyage to Moerdijk, ETA May 18. The reason for the fire was spilled gear oil, which had ignited on the exhaust of the turbocharger.

Enroute from Aarhus to Moerdijk the unloaded "Oraness" caught fire after having entered the Kiel Canal westbound on May 16, 2017, at 10.50 p.m. at the height of Kiel-Suchsdorf. Short past 11 p.m. the crew remarked the fire in the engine room and raised alarm just after the ship had passed the canal bridge at Levensau. The master and the pilot stopped the ship immediately and moored it at dolphins at the north side of the canal in Schwartenbek. The fire rescue Kiel attended with forces from two stations, attended by the volunteer fire brigade from the station Suchsdorf. They boarded the tanker with rubber boatas and supported the tanker crew in extinguishing the fire. Already the initial attack with powder extinguishers was successful. Until 1 a.m. the search for smouldering hot spots was continued and part of the panels in the engine room removed for this purpose. The canal was closed for ship traffic during this time except vessels needed on site. At 11.35 p.m. the tug "Stein" announced to approach the ship, followed by the "Bülk" and "Holtenau" at 11.38 p.m. The locks in Holtenau remained open at the seaside to let vessels involved in the fire fighting ops enter the waterway.