Container ship Red Cedar lost 15 containers overboard during bad weather on the afternoon of January 11th in the North Sea near Texel, Netherlands, while en route from Hamburg to Antwerp. The containers are said to be loaded with non-hazardous goods. Dutch SAR tug Guardian travelled to find the lost containers. Red Cedar (formerly Cape Darby, Golden Isle, Rickmers Houston) changed course after the containers went overboard, later resuming her journey. Late at night on January 11th she turned to coastline near IJmuiden before heading west at a reduced speed. According to database Red Cedar is covered by Gard through owner/manager/agent Vineta SmbH, although it also appears in the Swedish Club database, although not as lead insurer. Guardian is covered through Shipowners’ Club via member Multraship Ocean Towage BV.
A North Korean cargo vessel carrying 5,720 tonnes of rice from North Korea’s west coast city of Nampo to Wonsan on the east coast sank off the west coast of Japan’s westernmost major island of Kyushu on January 12th. All 26 crew members were rescued without injury, according to the Japan coastguard, which is treating the incident as a straightforward case of shipwreck.
A conveyor belt on an unnamed barge moored alongside Capesize bulk carrier Great Tang caught fire at Whyalla anchorage in South Australia, while it was discharging iron ore into the bulk carrier’s holds. The flames engulfed the cargo handling equipment of the barge, but were rapidly extinguished. The accident did not cause any damages to Great Tang, but delayed cargo handling operations. There were no injuries or water pollution.