Ferry sinks, two tankers collide and a container liner grounds

Ferry sinks, two tankers collide and a container liner grounds
Martyn Wingrove 20 Apr 2018 http://www.passengership.info/news/view,ferry-sinks-two-tankers-collide-...

One ferry has sunk, two ships collided and a container ship grounded in southeast Asia, providing salvage opportunities to local companies. Local reports said one person was missing after an unnamed passenger ship sank in waters off Pedra Branca island, near the Singapore Strait.

It was carrying 106 people at the time including 102 passengers and four seafarers. Of these 103 people were safely transferred to an Indonesian marine police vessel, four of five people that fell overboard were also rescued.

The ship, thought to be a local ferry, was transiting from Bandar Penawar, Johor, Malaysia, to Bintan, Riau Islands, Indonesia when it sank. It is not known the cause of the sinking,

Also near Singapore, an Aframax product tanker and gas tanker collided causing damage, cargo release and emergency towage. Greek-flagged tanker Astro Saturn and Singapore-flagged very large gas carrier, Crystal Sunrise collided one mile south of Tuas Extension.

According to Vesseltracker, Crystal Sunrise was chartered to Japanese LPG company Gyxis and 2003-built, 105,167 dwt Astro Saturn was chartered by European trading house Trafigura and was carrying fuel oil when the accident occurred on 16 April.

Kumiai Navigation’s Crystal Sunrise was picking up a pilot when the accident happened, which caused damage to a ballast tank and a leak from a gas cargo tank, which was contained and patched. Astro Saturn suffered portside bow damage and lost an anchor. After the accident, Pantheon Tankers-owned Astro Saturn was brought to anchor in Malaysian waters off Pulau Kukup and Crystal Sunrise was anchored for near the collision site before resumed to a port for inspection.

In the Philippines, Singapore registered container ship NYK Joanna ran into a coral reef in Subic Bay on 19 April. According to Fleetmon, it was leaving Subic Bay bound for Manila when it swerved to avoid a fishing vessel.

Tugs in Subic Bay refloated 2009-built and 27,003 gt, NYK Joanna and the Philippine Coast Guard found some damage but no fuel leakage. On 20 April it was moored at anchorage in Subic Bay awaiting inspection.

Meanwhile, a salvage project in Fiji involving removal of a 200gt fishing vessel from a reef should get underway this month. Fiji Ports Corp has contracted a salvage company to refloat Lu Rong Yuan Yu 168. This vessel ran aground on 12 April and a removal notice was issued on 13 April.

Fiji Ports has been liaising with the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji, South Sea Towage, vessel owner and agent to contain and recover fuel oil and remove the vessel from the reef.