Chinese Bulker Breaks Apart After Grounding In Xinghua Bay

A Chinese coastal bulker, Hua De 858, broke apart after grounding in Xinghua Bay, off the coast of Fuzhou, on 3 December, local maritime authorities confirmed. All 12 crew members aboard were safely evacuated without any reported injuries.

According to multiple updates from the Fuzhou Maritime Safety Administration (MSA), the grounding occurred at about 10:45 p.m. local time when the vessel struck a shoal between Xiaori Island and Dasheyu Island.

The impact caused a major structural failure, splitting the hull into two sections. Images from the scene showed the vessel fractured amidships, and its AIS signal later disappeared from commercial tracking platforms.

The Fuzhou MSA said through its official notice that the Fuzhou Maritime Search and Rescue Centre received the first alert at 18:40 on 3 December and immediately coordinated emergency teams and enforced traffic control around the site.

Authorities said all 12 crew members were transferred ashore soon after the grounding.

The Hua De 858, a 5,035-dwt coastal bulker built in 2008 by Taizhou Yuansheng Shipbuilding, had been sailing south through the Taiwan Strait when the incident occurred.

The vessel had departed the Caofeidian port district in Hebei province on 28 November, fully loaded, and was en route from Fuzhou to Haikou at the time of the accident.

AIS data analysed by maritime tracking services indicated that the ship had transited past Ningbo and Fuzhou before entering the Haitan Strait. Maritime safety officials reported that the grounding took place in the waters north of Beiriyan in Xinghua Bay.

Authorities advised ships in the area to keep a safe distance and maintain a careful lookout while the investigation continues.

The Fuzhou MSA stated in its public guidance that ships passing near Beiriyan should sail through the area in an orderly manner as the cause of the grounding and subsequent structural failure remains under review.

The Hua De 858 operates as a domestic coastal freighter and has no listed IMO number, according to information available from AIS tracking services.

Reference: Safety4sea

Source: Maritime Shipping News