General cargo ship VTB 36 suffered a fire on Friday while on the Thi Vai river in Vietnam. It was carrying 4,630 tons of maize upstream en route from Cai Mep to Qui
Nhon when the superstructure was engulfed in flames. The crew could not control the fire and after a request for assistance the local Coast Guard dispatched two rescue boats and five tugs to assist with firefighting and to evacuate from the ship the 12 crew members, two passengers and two pilots. The fire was extinguished overnight and the vessel was towed to the anchorage of Phuoc Hoa in the Tan Thanh District. VTB 36’s superstructure was largely gutted. According to preliminary information the fire was caused by a short circuit in personal appliances in a crewmember’s cabin. No details of vessel found in P&I databases.
Product tanker Sochima was attacked by pirates in the Gulf of Guinea about 40nm south of Brass, Nigeria. The vessel was approached by armed men in a speedboat who tried to board the vessel. The navy security team aboard repelled the pirate attack, wounding some of the pirates. The speedboat fled and Sochima docked at Lagos, its original planned destination. There were no injuries to the crew of Sochima. According to database, MT Sochima is covered by Shipowners’ Club through member Tonimas Nigeria Ltd.
General cargo vessel Asko ran aground on the fresh water lake Malaren in Sweden. The vessel, loaded with pellets, suffered underwater breaches and water ingress. The lake is a fresh water reservoir for Stockholm, but according to preliminary inspection there were no breached fuel tanks. The risk of an oil spill was now considered to be very low. The ship is 4,518dwt and 3,183grt. According to database Asko is covered by Skuld through Member Hartmann Dry Cargo Germany GmbH.
At least 100 litres of heavy fuel leaked at the Port of St Petersburg during bunkering operations of cargo ship Triton Reefer. The vessel was taking fuel from bunkering tanker Freya but a hose was damaged and fuel spilled into the water between a board and a berth. The ship’s emergency crew immediately took the required measures to restrict additional pollution, stopping the fuel transfer and restricting any additional spills from the deck. The oil spot was treated with sorbent. The ship is 9,683dwt and 8,818grt. No details of insurer in P&I databases.
VLCC CSAV Tyndall collided with a fishing boat in the Korea Strait north off Jeju, causing the fishing vessel to capsize and sink, throwing the nine crew into the water. Five were quickly rescued, but four went missing. The container carrier is adrift or dead slow ahead near the collision site, heading back to Busan, South Korea. CSAV Tyndall is 116,058dwt and 96,628grt. According to database, CSAV Tyndall is covered by North through Member Demsly Shipping Inc.
Bulk carrier Anna Smile temporarily blocked the Bosphorus Strait after an engine failure while transiting north, en route from Egypt to Ukraine. It lost propulsion power shortly after passing the First Bridge and remained adrift before being pushed to drop anchor at Ahirkapi Anchorage. Anna Smile is 74,823dwt and 40,524grt. According to database, Anna Smile is covered by Skuld through Member Prosperity Bay Shipping Co.
The Sri Lankan Navy freed car carrier Hyperion Highway after what it called an “act of piracy”. Naval troops fired warning shots to break up a protest by striking dock workers who had held up the Japanese vessel for four days at the island’s southern international port. Troops entered the Hambantota port from the sea on Saturday and fired warning shots to disperse the crowd. No casualties were reported. Hyperion Highway sailed on Saturday afternoon tow its next destination, Oman.
The striking dockers are protesting against the Chinese firm that is to take over the running of the port. The operator of Hyperion Highway had already suffered some $200,000 loss caused by delay and disrupted schedule, while two other ships bound for Hambantota were said to have been rerouted either to Singapore or Indian ports.
According to database, Hyperion Highway’s Hull and Machinery interest is covered by Gard as member of claims syndicate led by Catlin Syndicate 2003, through client Stamco Ship management Co Ltd.