Staff Reporter:
A diesel-laden oil tanker carrying around 33,000 tonnes of diesel collided with an anchored bulk carrier in the waters of Chattogram port on Friday, causing a roughly one-square-metre crack in the tanker’s engine room and resulting in temporary power failure.
The cargo tanks carrying the diesel remained intact and no oil leaked into the sea, according to the Chattogram Port Authority.
The port authority said in an emergency notice issued at 6pm that the incident occurred at around 12:25pm when MT Sea Spike collided with the anchored MV Sun Shine.
The authority initially suspected that strong currents caused the tanker to lose control, but said the exact cause would be known after an investigation.
Chattogram Port Authority Secretary Syed Refayet Hamim said the Bangladesh Navy and Coast Guard joined the port authority in rescue and assistance operations following the accident.
The port tugboat Kandari-8 was deployed at the scene, while the shipping agent, Pride Shipping, was instructed to arrange for the diesel to be discharged from the tanker as quickly as possible.
A salvage company was also instructed to repair the crack and salvage the vessel, he said.
The accident did not disrupt vessel movement through the port channel, the port authority said.
