Grounded Tanker Splits in Two off Taiwan

One of two tankers that ran aground off Kaohsiung, Taiwan last week, split in two in the morning hours of June 18.

According to Taiwan’s Maritime and Port Bureau (MOTC), the tankers were not loaded with cargo at the time, however, they jointly had around 200 metric meters of oil on board.

The tankers Shine Luck and 19Winner ran aground due to a tropical low that had almost reached typhoon strength off Taiwan on June 14. The ships’ 32 crewmembers were safely evacuated from the units, the country’s Ocean Affairs Council informed.

Shine Luck was blown against concrete wave-breaks near the entrance of a fishing port, while the Winner 19 ran aground on the Kaohsiung beach.

The authorities decided to extract the oil from the 5,357 dwt tanker Shine Luck in order to prevent a possible oil spill. The oil removal operations were concluded on June 17 and the 1992-built tanker broke in two the next day.

Local media informed that the ship’s bow section was immediately towed to Kaohsiung Port Intercontinental Container Terminal, while the stern section is expected to be removed when weather conditions improve.

World Maritime News Staff