Early Thursday morning, a major oil spill occurred at the Ajos port in Kemi, Finland, due to a technical failure during the refueling of a vessel. Between 5 and 10 cubic meters of fuel oil, which amounts to roughly 5,000 to 10,000 liters, spilled into the sea from an overflow pipe. This quantity is considerable, especially considering that a typical fuel tanker used for distribution carries around 10 to 30 cubic meters at a time.

Fire chief Jyri Huttunen explained to Helsingin Sanomat that the process of collecting the spilled fuel from the water will take a long time, further complicated by the presence of icy sludge in the port basin. Efforts to contain the spill are currently underway but may be hampered significantly due to the icy conditions. Huttunen remarked that if the oil becomes mixed with the ice, it will be extraordinarily difficult to remove it.

The Lapland Rescue Service was alerted to the oil leak shortly before 4 AM. Emergency response teams are engaged in containment operations at the Ajos port, addressing both the environmental impact and the logistical challenges presented by the cold and ice. Such incidents highlight the need for rigorous safety measures during refueling operations to prevent substantial environmental damage in the future.