The Quang Ngai Maritime Administration in central Vietnam has ordered round-the-clock tug standby for the bulk carrier Aquacharm and established an investigation team after the vessel struck an unfinished wharf at the Hoa Phat Dung Quat iron and steel complex on Sunday, October 18.
The Marshall Islands-flagged 183,209DWT ship was carrying 170,856 tonnes of iron ore from Australia. A preliminary inspection found a tear approximately five metres long in her bow, with damage on both the port and starboard sides.
All 22 crew were safe and no oil spill was recorded. The damage is well above the waterline and no tanks were affected.
Aquacharm struck a roughly 50-metre extension between wharves numbers 10 and 11 while approaching her assigned berth at around 17:45 local time. The structure was under construction and had not been declared open for operational use.
The captain and pilot continued manoeuvring the vessel to wharf number 10, where she berthed at 18:30.
The instructions issued on October 20 require the shipowner to keep at least one azimuthing thruster-equipped tug of more than 5,000 hp (3,700 kW) on standby near the vessel during her departure from the wharf, her move to the anchorage, and her entire stay at anchor.
The tug must also carry oil spill response, firefighting, rescue and salvage equipment.
The administration cited the rain and storm season, a tropical depression, and strong northeasterly monsoon winds.
The eight-member investigation team is led by the administration's deputy director, Phan Duc Cuong.
A report by Dung Quat Border Guard Station cited preliminary information from the vessel's agent and captain suggesting the pilot may have failed to control the ship's speed because of communication errors, despite repeated reports of the speed.
The border guards proposed stronger supervision of pilotage activities.
Hoa Phat said the cargo was subsequently unloaded. Operations at wharf number 10 were affected, but the port's other 11 wharves remained operational.
