A Cosco Shipping Energy Transportation VLCC arrived safely in Durban while under tow, more than a week after coming dangerously close to drifting ashore off a treacherous stretch of South African coastline.
The 308,600-dwt Yuan Hua Hu (built 2015) and its accompanying tugs entered Durban’s Port Natal late Tuesday morning.
VLCCs are a rare sight at South Africa’s largest port due to the 16 metre depth within the harbour. The Yuan Hua Hu, which is in ballast, is drawing only 11.2 metres according to it AIS signal.
The tanker, which is owned by a spinoff of the giant China Cosco Shipping, encountered engine problems when sailing north-east of Port Elizabeth on 25 May. The ship was on a voyage from Singapore to Angola.
After drifting up the coast to a position one nautical mile (1.9 km) off the small resort village of Port St Johns on the morning of 27 May, it anchored in waters 35 metres deep about one nautical mile offshore.
As TradeWinds has reported, the South African Maritime Safety Authority’s (SAMSA) Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre immediately dispatched the African Marine Solutions (AMSOL) operated 7,392-bhp anchor handling tug Smit Siyanda (built 2010) to stand by the stricken vessel, which was anchored off a treacherous stretch of coastline with poor holding ground.
Swire Pacific Offshore’s powerful 17,900-bhp tug Pacific Dolphin (built 2013) was later brought in, and began towing the ship to Durban on Saturday. The Smit Siyanda accompanied the tow as a back-up vessel.
SAMSA said this week that South Africa had experienced an unprecedented increase in maritime casualties since March, more so than any other previous year during the same period.
It conducted 59 medical evacuations and responded to two near groundings, one abandoned vessel, one container ship fire, one fishing vessel grounding and the infamous attempted murder of two stowaways.
The Yuan Hua Hu is expected to undergo repairs in Durban. The nature and extent of the problems suffered by its main engine have not yet been disclosed.
This article has been updated to include the vessel's safe arrival in port
