The bulk carriers HG Sydney and APJ Shirin collided near Bangladesh’s Kutubdia anchorage on Tuesday, September 29; the owner of lighter vessel Sani-5 reported extensive damage and requested a joint survey and compensation.
The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) described the collision as minor contact. Its vessel traffic management information system (VTMIS) recorded the incident at about 08:30 local time as HG Sydney manoeuvred towards Kutubdia Alpha Anchorage in the Bay of Bengal.
Both bulk carriers notified VTMIS of the collision and then moved to secure positions, CPA Secretary Syed Refayet Hamim said.
An initial check of damage to HG Sydney’s port side hull was conducted, and the relevant ship agents have been informed. There were no reports of casualties or marine pollution.
In a letter to Litmond Shipping reported by the Business Standard, Sani-5 owner Jamal Hossain alleged that HG Sydney hit the lighter hard at its forward section, damaging its superstructure between the lower section and the upper deck.
Hossain Enterprise described the lighter as having suffered “total damage” and requested a joint survey to assess how extensive the damage was. It also asked for action regarding compensation, with copies of the letter sent to QNS Shipping Logistics and other concerned parties.
Hossain said Sani-5 had only recently completed docking and was on its first trip after being loaded with coal belonging to QNS Shipping Logistics for transport from Kutubdia to Payra. His account placed the collision at about 09:00.
Chittagong Port Harbour Master Captain Zahirul Islam told the Business Standard that the VTMIS report concerned a collision between two mother vessels. He said the port had no information that a lighter vessel had been damaged.
HG Sydney came close to APJ Shirin and struck its side, with the lighter between the larger vessels. The Daily Star said footage it had obtained showed HG Sydney hitting the lighter and damaging its port hull.
The lighter had been moored alongside APJ Shirin for cargo unloading.
Belayet Hossain, Director of Litmond Shipping, the company representing HG Sydney locally, said the empty lighter moved clear immediately after impact and was not trapped between the bulk carriers. He said HG Sydney sustained slight damage to its port hull.
At Kutubdia, the Panama-flagged APJ Shirin lay at anchor. It had arrived from Indonesia about a week earlier carrying around 55,000 tonnes of coal.
The Liberia-flagged HG Sydney was carrying around 51,000 tonnes of soybeans from Brazil and was repositioning after raising anchor.
A separate collision occurred at about 11:30 that same morning at the Alpha Anchorage area of Chittagong Port’s outer anchorage involving the bulk carriers Akij Wave and Sea Alison.
CPA officials said a strong current had caused Akij Wave to drag its anchor. The crew attempted to maintain control, but the vessel could not hold its position before making contact with Sea Alison.
The impact left Sea Alison with slight damage to its port bow. The CPA called the incident minor and said both vessels were safely positioned afterwards. There were no reports of casualties or marine pollution.