Ships sink in Asian vessel collisions

Ships sink in Asian vessel collisions
Martyn Wingrove 09 Jan 2018 http://www.tugtechnologyandbusiness.com/news/view,ships-sink-in-asian-ve...

There has been a series of maritime accidents so far this month involving cargo ships colliding with fishing vessels in Asia. This produces opportunities for salvage companies in the region. It also highlights the navigational threat that fishing vessels are to commercial shipping.

According to local reports, cargo ship Jiarong 36 capsized after striking fishing vessel Minxiayu 01829 in the East China Sea on 6 January. The fishing vessel sustained bow damage but remained afloat. However, Jiarong 36 sank following the collision and after its 12 crew were rescued, according to the Wenzhou Maritime Administration and Fleetmon.

Ships involved in hit-and-run

Also on 6 January, Thailand fishing vessel Chok Chu Chai was struck by a cargo ship in waters southeast of the port city of Laem Chabang, in Chonburi Province, Thailand. Four crew from the fishing vessel were rescued, but four were missing.

Thailand’s Navy’s Marine Traffic and Safety Monitoring Centre identified that Pakistan National Shipping Corp’s 2004-built bulk carrier Hyderabad was the culprit in this hit-and-run incident. This 52,951 dwt ship was shipping coal from Indonesia and inspectors found traces of a collision on its port side bow, according to Vesseltracker.

This accident followed another hit-and-run incident in the South China Sea on 5 January. Fishing vessel BD 97619 TS was fishing off Binh Dinh Province of Vietnam when it was struck by a cargo ship that did not stop. All 15 fishermen were able to escape to shore on a lifeboat before the vessel capsized. Vietnamese authorities identified the hit-and-run cargo ship as Vietnam-flagged freighter Xuan Thanh 10.

42 dead in Chinese ship collisions

These collisions came as ships collided in the East China Sea creating a burning inferno and loss of 42 seafarers in total. Iranian tanker Sanchi continues to be on fire three days after it collided with Hong Kong-registered freighter CF Crystal collided in the outer Yangtze estuary, with 32 crew still missing.

Up to 10 seafarers died when 1994-built ship Chang Ping sank when struck by freighter Xinwang 138 while at anchorage near the Yangtze estuary.