A mechanical failure caused a cargo ship to ran aground on the Tay at Perth last Monday.

The 90-metre long Malta-registered Baltiyskiy-201 was entering the harbour at 5am when it veered off course and ran into a sandbank, leaving it stranded just metres from the port. The crew of the ship faced a frustrating wait for high tide when it could be refloated.

Early indications were that the ship was not damaged and did not shed any of its load of timber. The vessel was soon able to resume offloading her timber.

There were no other ships due in or out of the harbour so the collision did not affect business in any other way.

INOK NV of Belgium operates the Baltiyskiy-201.