Feeder Vessel Collides With Product Tanker & Sinks Off Indonesian Coast

A container feeder vessel, the Kuala Mas, sank early Sunday morning after it collided with the 13,000 dwt product tanker, Maritim Khatulistiwa, at an anchorage off Kupang, Timor.

The collision occurred at around 0230 hours, and reports suggest that the feeder may have drifted with the current before hitting the tanker.

Around 0318 hours, the crew of the Kuala Mas reported that the ship was taking on water through a hole in its starboard side.

Despite efforts to stop the flooding, the ship continued to take on water. After two hours of unsuccessful attempts, the master decided to ground the vessel near the Bolok Kupang pier at around 0630 hours to prevent it from sinking completely.

By 0802 hours, the master called for an evacuation. A nearby harbour tugboat responded quickly and rescued all 20 crew members, including the captain, within minutes.

The Kuala Mas capsized at 0834 hours and sank, leaving only a small portion of the hull above the water. No injuries or casualties were reported.

Some of the ship’s containerised cargo was seen drifting away and going adrift in the surrounding waters.

The local KSOP station has deployed oil booms around the wreck to prevent pollution. An investigation is underway to find the cause of the collision.

According to the NTT Regional Police Water Police, the Kuala Mas attempted to anchor near Tenau Port but was carried away by the current, which caused it to collide with the Maritim Khatulistiwa tanker at 0230 hours.

This caused the Kuala Mas to list 10 degrees to its starboard side.

The police responded immediately and sent personnel to assist with evacuating the crew, working with the Kupang Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas).

The 20 crew members were evacuated using three vessels to the Polairud Pier.

The feeder ship was declared fully submerged by around 0830 hours, and most of its cargo containers sank. Some containers drifted to nearby locations, including the Bolok Port Pier, Tenau Port Pier, and the TNI – AL VII Kupang Base Pier.

The Indonesian-flagged vessel had a length of 127.73 meters and a width of 18 meters. The total loss from the accident has been estimated to be around Rp70 billion.

Authorities are closely monitoring the situation and taking precautionary measures to prevent further damage and environmental harm.

Reference: antaranews

Source: Maritime Shipping News