The bulk carrier was abandoned in the Indian Ocean. She was on a voyage from Tubarao, Brazil to Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Orient Pioneer sank on 21 January.[1]
9 January
List of shipwrecks: 9 January 1990
Ship
Country
Description
Sally Albatross
Finland
The cruiseferry caught fire at Finnboda, Nacka, Sweden. Her superstructure was consequently scrapped and the hull was salvaged and rebuilt.
20 January
List of shipwrecks: 20 January 1990
Ship
Country
Description
Charlie
Cyprus
The cargo ship foundered in the Atlantic Ocean north of the Azores, Portugal with the loss of all 27 crew.[2]
30 January
List of shipwrecks: 30 January 1990
Ship
Country
Description
Flag Theofano
Greece
The bulk cement carrier foundered in the English Channel off the Isle of Wight with the loss of all nineteen crew.[3][4]
March
4 March
List of shipwrecks: 4 March 1990
Ship
Country
Description
Toledo
Hong Kong
The bulk carrier was beached at Pendower Beach, Falmouth, Cornwall.[5]
14 March
List of shipwrecks: 14 March 1990
Ship
Country
Description
Alexandre P
Panama
The bulk carrier foundered off Dampier, Western Australia with the loss of all hands. She was on a voyage from Dampier to Cape Town, South Africa.[6]
April
7 April
List of shipwrecks: 7 April 1990
Ship
Country
Description
Scandinavian Star
Bahamas
The ferry suffered two fires fifteen minutes apart whilst in the Skagerrak. The second of which was arson. One hundred and fifty-eight people were killed in the fire, which burnt for ten hours. She was subsequently repaired and returned to service.
19 April
List of shipwrecks: 19 April 1990
Ship
Country
Description
Mineral Star
Cyprus
The cargo ship was beached at Vitória, Brazil after her engine room flooded. She was refloated in July, but was declared a constructive total loss and sold for scrap. Mineral Star was scrapped at Alang, India in 1992.[7]
The LPG tanker was severely damaged at Pajaritos, Veracruz by the explosion of her cargo whilst loading. She was later repaired and returned to service.[8]
November
17 November
List of shipwrecks: 17 November 1990
Ship
Country
Description
Osa Ghent
Liberia
The tug capsized and sank at Singapore. She was refloated on 23 November.[7]
22 November
List of shipwrecks: 22 November 1990
Ship
Country
Description
Antares
United Kingdom
The fishing trawler was fishing in Bute Sound when her nets were snagged by HMS Trenchant (Royal Navy). She was pulled down and sunk with the loss of all four crew.[9]
December
22 December
List of shipwrecks: 22 December 1990
Ship
Country
Description
Tuvia
Israel
The ferry capsized and sank off Haifa, killing 20 crew members of USS Saratoga (United States Navy), who were being transferred to that ship.[10]
27 December
List of shipwrecks: 27 December 1990
Ship
Country
Description
Finn and Baltic
Finland
The Finnpusku combination capsized and sank off Hanko. Later raised, repaired and returned to service in 1991 as Botnia and Steel.
28 December
List of shipwrecks: 28 December 1990
Ship
Country
Description
Jarita
Norway
The cargo ship sank in the English Channel off Margate, Kent, United Kingdom with the loss of one of her four crew.[11]
Iraqi occupation of Kuwait: The floating hotel, a former cruise ship, was destroyed at her moorings by a deliberately set fire. She was later scrapped.