Cargo Ship Successfully Refloated off Binh An

The cargo ship STARCITY is being towed away from the shoal to a safe anchorage

At the scene, two powerful tugboats secured towlines to the STARCITY and began towing the ship toward the sea. With the tugboats applying greater power, the cargo ship gradually moved and was eventually pulled free from the shallow waters.

The STARCITY was then brought to a safe anchorage. The authorities and relevant agencies will inspect the ship’s hull, machinery, and other maritime safety conditions before allowing it to resume its voyage.

Earlier, the vessel owner had hired two tugboats, including Quang Da, with a capacity of 3,263 horsepower, and Chan May 02, with a capacity of 1,800 horsepower, to carry out the rescue operation.

As previously reported by Hue Today, the cargo ship STARCITY, which was carrying tens of tons of fuel, ran aground in the Binh An waters of Chan May Bay due to adverse weather conditions. The incident occurred at 8:55 a.m. on September 12. The Vietnamese-flagged STARCITY, with a gross tonnage of 24,157 tons, ran aground while sailing without cargo at coordinates 16°19'05"N; 107°59'22"E. The ship was about 1.3 nautical miles from the edge of the Chan May navigation channel, in the Binh An waters of Chan May Bay.

Following the incident, Thua Thien Hue Maritime Port Authority sent experienced personnel to the scene and coordinated with maritime pilots to assist the captain in securing the ship, inspecting its ballast tanks, and assessing the condition of the hull. The ship owner also hired two tugboats to carry out the rescue operation. However, strong northeast monsoon winds reaching force 6 to 7, along with high waves, made the operation difficult and delayed its completion until today.