The National Iranian Tanker Co (NITC) is downplaying suggestions by Chinese authorities that the 164,000-dwt Sanchi (built 2008) is at risk of explosion or sinking.
In an emailed statement sent to TradeWinds early this morning, NITC managing director Siroos Kianersi said that “despite current state of the ship and the damages to hull, the possibility of sinking is low”.
Yesterday DNV GL, which classes the Sanchi, said its Emergency Response Service (ERS) has been using data on the ship to verify the strength and integrity of the hull following the collision to determine whether it was likely to sink.
China’s Ministry of Transport, in a statement issued this morning on its website, said that fire-fighting and rescue efforts were ongoing, but were being hampered by poor weather conditions. The Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration has delineated a 10-nautical mile exclusion zone around the burning Sanchi, while rescue and salvage workers have been provided with protective suits, protective masks and gas testing equipment.
No large oil spill has so far been detected, Chinese officials have said, according to the BBC.
The transport ministry added however that experts at the scene believed that, given wave conditions, no more than 1% of the condensate was on the surface of the water.
An accident investigation was due to begin on Tuesday.
According to Kianersi, the presence of toxic gases from the still-burning fire is preventing access to the interior of the vessel. However, the company is still holding out hope that survivors may be found.
Referring to the body of one crew member that was found yesterday morning, he said that the fact that it was found wearing “available lifesaving appliances”, which Chinese authorities described as a water-immersion thermal insulation suit, showed that the Sanchi’s crew had the chance to utilize the rescue equipment on board.
The Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration is therefore widening the search area for potential survivors. In addition to rescue vessels from China and Korea, two NITC tankers and a vessel belonging to the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) are taking part in the search.
NITC and Iran’s Port Maritime Organization (PMO) have dispatched teams to China to work in conjunction with Shanghai Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) as well as to investigate the accident.
Kianersi describes the accident as being “ unprecedented during 62 years of NITC service”.
The Sanchi collided with the 76,000-dwt bulker CF Crystal (built 2011) in the East China Sea on Saturday night while it was en route from Iran to South Korea with a cargo. The vessel had a 32-strong crew on board, 31 of whom remain missing.
The CF Crystal, which suffered non-fatal damage to its bow, has proceeded to Zhoushan under escort of a tug.
