A container vessel from Malaysia, bringing cargo to the Kolkata port, ran aground near Garchumuk in Howrah after its steering apparently malfunctioned on Wednesday morning.
MTT Singapore, registered in Malaysia’s Port Klang, was “refloated with first of flood tide” around 10pm with the help of two tugs, said an official of the Kolkata Port Trust (KPT).
The vessel will remain anchored for the night at Falta before resuming its journey for Netaji Subhas Dock in Kolkata.
“The vessel, 140m in length, ran aground around 11.25am at Pukuria Point near Garchumuk, Howrah, because of steering failure,” said the official. Pukuria Point is around 48km from the Netaji Subhas Dock in Kolkata.
The vessel, which was built in 1996, is carrying 338 containers from Port Klang to Kolkata. The containers are filled with chemicals, pulses and other items for companies in Kolkata, Howrah and North 24-Parganas, the official
said.
“As the steering malfunctioned, the vessel went out of control. The current of the river dragged the vessel towards the bank at Garchumuk. No oil spillage has been noticed,” the KPT official said.
The master of the vessel, Edwin Deen Ramas from the Philippines, and 20 crew members, all from the Philippines and Malaysia, are safe, said the official.
Two tugs from Kolkata and Haldia were sent to Garchumuk to pull the vessel back into the designated channel in the river.
The faulty steering, the official said, is being repaired by the crew.
“If after being pulled into the water, the master feels it is safe to operate the vessel, they would do so. Otherwise, he would seek the help of an escort vessel to guide the ship to Netaji Subhas Dock,” a KPT official had said on Wednesday evening.
MTT Singapore drifted away from the channel in the river earmarked for the movement of vessels. So it was not creating any problem for other vessels.
The master of the vessel was advised by the port authorities to leash the containers properly to ensure they did not fall into the water.
According to a KPT official, a number of reasons could lead to steering failure, including faulty parts and problem with the oil used to operate the steering.
The vessel, he said, has not suffered any damage despite hitting the bank of the river.
“The bank of the Hooghly is not rocky. It contains soft soil. Had the riverbank been rocky, the vessel could have suffered damage,” said the official.
On March 24, 2022, Marine Trust 01, a container vessel from Bangladesh, had capsized in berth 5 of Netaji Subhas Dock.
The vessel, which was bound for Chittagong in Bangladesh, capsized 15 minutes after it was loaded with cargo.
Several containers had fallen into the water from Marine Trust 01.
“That vessel was retrieved and is still at Netaji Subhas Dock because the owner is yet to pay the dues,” said a KPT official.