The owner of an LPG carrier that ran aground near Pattaya City in southern Thailand earlier this week has stated that the incident was the result of the captain's negligence.
Bangkok-based joint venture company SC Group Holding (SCH) has issued a statement saying that the incident involving the 3,996DWT LPG carrier NP Bangpakong occurred at around 02:25 local time on Tuesday, March 25, when the ship became stranded near the shore on Thailand's Eastern Gulf Coast.
Local authorities have assured that the vessel's cargo tanks were already empty when the grounding occurred, quelling rumors that the gas from within the tanks had inadvertently leaked into the atmosphere as a result of the mishap.
The LPG carrier was travelling between two local ports when it ran aground.
SCH has since despatched a tug to help refloat the LPG carrier and a team of engineers to inspect the hull to determine the extent of the damage.
The company also assured that it accepts responsibility for the grounding and that stricter preventive measures will be implemented.
