443-Foot Cargo Ship Pulled Free After Running Aground Just Meters From Norwegian Home

Source: NTB via The Independent

A dramatic maritime incident near Trondheim, Norway, came to a safe conclusion on Tuesday as salvagers successfully refloated the 443-foot container ship NCL Salten, which had run aground just meters from a residential home.

The vessel, measuring 135 meters (443 feet) in length, veered off course in the early hours of May 22, 2025, running aground on the rocky shoreline of the Trondheimsfjord, in the Byneset area. Remarkably, the ship stopped just a stone's throw from a wooden house, narrowly averting what could have been a catastrophic collision.

A Close Call While the Owner Slept

The house's occupant, Johan Helberg, remained unaware of the incident until a panicked neighbor rang his doorbell and called him. "The doorbell rang at a time of day when I don't like to open," Helberg told Norwegian broadcaster TV2. It was only after stepping outside that he realized the magnitude of what had occurred.

Helberg later told NRK, "It's good to have said hello, but now it's time to say goodbye," as the ship was finally pulled free from the shoreline.

The grounding reportedly caused minor damage to a heating pipe in Helberg's cabin, but he considered himself fortunate. "If the ship had hit the rocky cliff right next to it, it would have lifted and hit the house hard. It wasn't many meters off," he told TV2.

Human Error and Investigations

According to Norwegian police, the officer on watch—a Ukrainian sailor in his 30s—admitted to falling asleep at the helm. He has since been charged with "negligent navigation." Prosecutor Kjetil Bruland Sørensen also revealed that the sailor claimed none of the vessel's collision alarms had worked at the time of the incident.

Authorities are conducting a comprehensive investigation, which includes examining whether the ship's crew complied with international regulations regarding working hours and rest periods.

A History of Groundings

The NCL Salten is no stranger to maritime mishaps. According to Bente Hetland, CEO of the shipping company that owns the vessel, the same ship ran aground twice in recent years — once in 2023 in Hadsel and again in 2024 in Ålesund.

Despite this concerning track record, none of the ship's 16 crew members were injured in the latest incident.

Salvage Operations: A Swift Success

The salvage operation, coordinated by BOA Offshore, successfully refloated the vessel within just 30 minutes. "This went better than expected," said Ole T. Bjornevik, managing director of BOA Offshore. "This went beyond all expectations."

Bjornevik added that all containers remain on board except for a few that were removed to lighten the bow during the recovery effort. The remaining cargo is set to be unloaded this evening.

A complete inspection of the NCL Salten is now underway to assess any structural damage before the vessel resumes operations.