Bulk carrier runs aground in Vietnam after dragging anchor in strong winds

November 12 ------ A Vietnamese-flagged bulk carrier ran aground near Chan May Port after strong winds and heavy seas caused it to drag anchor.

The incident occurred on 9 November in Chan May Bay near Hue, central Vietnam. According to local maritime authorities, bulk carrier VTA Neptune was at anchor when adverse weather conditions caused it to drift toward shore and run aground.

The vessel had arrived from southern Vietnam and was preparing to load cargo at Chan May Port. It was operating in ballast condition at the time of the incident.

However, strong northeast monsoon winds, reportedly reaching Beaufort force 6 to 7 with gusts of force 8 to 9, were affecting the area. The combination of high winds and rough seas caused the vessel to drag anchor before grounding on a sandy seabed near Canh Duong village.

According to local reports, all 20 crew members were safe, with no injuries reported. The vessel came to rest approximately 2.75 nautical miles southwest of buoy No. 0 in the Chan May navigation channel. It was reported to be listing approximately two degrees to port, with both anchors deployed to help secure its position.

An initial inspection on November 10 found that the grounding location was outside the main port navigation area and had not disrupted shipping operations. The vessel was carrying approximately 263.63 tons of fuel, including 51.82 tons of diesel oil and 211.81 tons of fuel oil, raising concerns about potential marine pollution if its hull or fuel tanks were damaged.

As of the latest update, no oil leakage or marine pollution had been reported. The Thua Thien-Hue Maritime Administration instructed the shipowner to inspect the vessel’s hull, ballast tanks and fuel tanks to identify potential structural damage and environmental risks.

Authorities also requested an assessment of the vessel’s remaining fuel quantities, displacement and draft conditions to support the development of a safe refloating plan.

Local border guards and maritime authorities were coordinating with the shipowner on recovery arrangements, including the possible deployment of tugboats to assist with refloating.

Source: safety4sea.com