Post by : Badri Ariffin

A Singapore-flagged container ship crashed into a river embankment near Diamond Harbour in West Bengal, India, on Aug 12 after failing to negotiate a bend in the Hooghly River. No injuries were reported.

The vessel, Nawata Bhum, was carrying containers and was travelling towards Kolkata’s Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port when the incident occurred.

A video posted on social media on Aug 12 shows the container ship moving towards the riverbank before striking the embankment. The footage shows no ferries in the vessel’s path at the time of the collision.

Nawata Bhum Was Sailing From Port Klang to Kolkata

According to vessel tracking platform MarineTraffic, Nawata Bhum is registered under the Singapore flag. The ship departed Port Klang, Malaysia, on Aug 3 and was travelling towards Kolkata when the incident happened.

MarineTraffic, as cited by AsiaOne, said the ship hit the embankment near Diamond Harbour at around 11am local time on Aug 12, which was 1.30pm Singapore time.

Diamond Harbour is located about 50km south of Kolkata.

Strong Currents and Suspected Steering Problem

MarineTraffic reported that the vessel had travelled approximately 50km from the port before failing to recover from a bend in the river.

The tracking platform said the ship's inability to complete the turn was mainly linked to strong currents and turbulent conditions, along with a suspected steering malfunction.

The Hooghly River is known for sharp bends and bars, according to local media outlet The Hans India.

A local official quoted by The Hans India said steering gear can sometimes become stuck when a vessel is trying to recover from a turn. The official said the ship’s captain alerted people in the surrounding area by repeatedly sounding the vessel’s horn after realising that the steering was jammed.

Ship Pilot Reported the Incident to Port Authority

Immediately after the collision, the ship’s pilot contacted the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Authority and reported the incident, MarineTraffic said.

Tugboats were subsequently sent to the location, according to MarineTraffic and The Hans India. They are expected to wait for the next high tide before attempting to pull the container ship away from the embankment.

No Injuries Reported

There were no reports of injuries following the incident.

The circumstances surrounding the crash remain linked in the available reports to the vessel’s difficulty in navigating the river bend, strong currents, turbulent conditions and a suspected steering problem.

The Straits Times has contacted the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Authority, and the ship’s owner, Regional Container Lines, for further information.

#Global News #Asia News #Singapore News #World Update