Investigations are continuing into the likely cause of a collision between an LNG carrier and a VLCC off Fujairah on Sunday night.
Dramatic photos show a gaping hole that stretches the full height of the hull in the portside bow of Navios Maritime Acquisition Corp’s 281,395-dwt tanker Shinyo Ocean (built 2001). The gash resulted from the collision with the 155,000-cbm LNG carrier Aseem (built 2009), owned by Shipping Corp of India.
Tracking data produced by LNG ship tracking specialist Kpler appears to show the LNG carrier, which was in ballast at the time, approaching at a speed of about eight knots when the collision occurred in the evening of 24 March.
Shinyo Ocean, which had been in the anchorage area since 16 March, is shown moving at a speed of 1.4 knots prior to the incident.
Assessing the Aseem
Officials at Shipping Corp of India told TradeWinds on Wednesday that surveyors are still onboard the Aseem. A preliminary report on the damage to the LNG carrier is expected shortly.
One said the Aseem had sustained damage to its bow but that its cargo tanks were not affected by the collision.
He said there was no pollution resulting from the incident and nobody onboard the vessel had been injured.
The official declined to share any information on the likely cause of the incident.
Shortly after the collision, the Aseem's charterer, Petronet LNG, emerged in the market for a prompt vessel to lift a cargo loading at Ras Laffan in Qatar on 27 March for discharge in Dahej, India.
A spokeswoman for Navios said Shinyo Ocean was departing Fujairah in ballast at the time of the collision. She said the company immediately activated its emergency response procedure.
The VLCC’s manager is Synergy Marine.
Previous LNG incidents
This is not the first serious collision involving an LNG carrier.
In 2013, the 215,000-cbm laden LNG carrier Al Gharrafa (built 2008) was involved in an incident with the 10,114-teu boxship Hanjin Italy (built 2011) off Singapore.
Two years later, the 210,100-cbm LNG carrier Al Oraiq (built 2008) collided with the 8,850-dwt Flinterstar (built 2002) while departing Zeebrugge in Belgium, resulting in the loss of the cargoship.
Video courtesy of Discovery Marine
