Iran is preparing to release its accident investigation report into the loss of the suezmax tanker Sanchi and its crew of 32 after its collision with the bulker CF Crystal in January.
Iran Ports & Maritime Organization deputy director Hadi Haghshenas told local media the report would be ready within a month.
“The information stored in the two black boxes [VDRs has] been retrieved and the final report on the incident will be released in Shanghai, China, within a month from now,” he said.
The recovery of data is a significant development. It was feared that the intensity of the fire onboard the Sanchi meant its VDR data could be lost.
With all the crew of the 164,000-dwt Sanchi (built 2009) lost in the tragedy, the VDR data could provide critical evidence of the bridge team’s actions in the final moments before the collision.
As TradeWinds has reported, little automatic identification system data is available to give a clear indication of the track of the Sanchi and the 76,000-dwt CF Crystal (built 2011) prior to the collision about 300km off Shanghai.
Low-flashpoint cargoes
The Sanchi was carrying a cargo of condensate at the time. The report’s findings could lead to calls for a revision of the regulations covering the carriage of low-flashpoint cargoes, such as condensate, and a review of safety measures on tankers.
