A Malta-registered 4,829 gross tonnage chemical tanker, the YM Uranus, was towed towards France’s northwestern coast yesterday after it collided with another vessel in the English Channel, maritime officials and the boat’s manager said.
The Uranus, with over 6,000 tonnes of a gasoline product on board, crashed just over 50 miles off Finistere on the western coast of France. The 13 crew members of the Uranus, hailing from Latvia, Russia and The Philippines, were unharmed and evacuated by a French Rescue Service helicopter to a nearby air base.
There was no visible pollution in the water surrounding the 120-metre long ship, which was built in 2008, according to the Atlantic maritime prefecture in the French city of Brest.
It collided with the Panama cargo vessel Hanjin Richzard, a 93,152 gross tonnage, Panamian-flagged bulk carrier.
The boat took on some water, but the inflow later stopped, and the cargo tanks, carrying a specialist gasoline product called heavy pygas, were not breached, international ship manager V. Ships said, confirming that there had been no pollution of the waters.
“I think the danger is behind us now,” V. Ships spokesman Patrick Adamson was quoted as saying, adding that the company would cooperate fully with investigators.
French maritime officials said they believed the ships had collided but were waiting to interview the two ships’ captains to learn more.
The YM Uranus cargo ship had been travelling from Porto Marghera in Italy to Amsterdam in the Netherlands. She was towed towards Brest where she was expected to arrive late yesterday evening.
The 190-metre long Hanjin Rizhao remained on the scene to assist the smaller vessel, and was then authorised to continue on its way to Rotterdam in the Netherlands, France’s Environment Ministry said.
South Korea's Hanjin Shipping, the boat's owner, said it had been carrying iron ore from Brazil to the Netherlands. It said it was still investigating the accident and could not comment further.
Meanwhile, two technical officers, a master mariner and an engineer, from Transport Malta’s Merchant Shipping Directorate are on their way to Brest to carry on scene investigations.
Transport Malta is also informed that a salvage team and French authorities are currently onboard assessing the situation. It is also in close contact with the safety managers of the ship and liaising with the French Accident Investigation Board and Panamian Authorities in the investigation of the causes leading to this accident. Maltese authorities are also in close contact with the Maltese embassy in Paris.