Multiple Marine Vessel Accidents Marked by 4 Dead, 1 Missing

Shipwrecks, collisions, and handling accidents have occurred frequently in recent days, drawing widespread public attention to maritime safety.

On the evening of September 15, a cargo ship sank off the coast of the Brazilian northeastern state of Pernambuco, resulting in the deaths of four crew members and one crew member missing. The vessel, carrying 180 tons of construction materials and food, had departed from Recife and was en route to Fernando de Noronha with nine crew members on board. Then, it sank around 15 kilometers off Ponta das Pedras beach near the municipality of Goiania. Brazil promptly dispatched maritime rescue teams, search vessels, and Air Force aircraft to the area to conduct rescue operations, rescuing four crew members.

On September 16, an accident occurred at China’s Yantian Port when a snapped crane arm collapsed onto a ship during container handling operations, leading to containers sinking and causing damage to both the vessel and the dock. Accordingly, operations at berth No. 2 were suspended while other areas of the port continued their operations.

On September 18, a Vietnamese-flagged ship sank in the South China Sea near Quang Nam province in Vietnam. At around 1:42 p.m., the vessel issued a distress call to the Quang Nam port authority, reporting that the vessel had tilted 45 degrees. The Quang Nam contacted the Regional Maritime Search and Rescue coordination center, the Quang Nam Border Command, and the Coast Guard of the region for rescue operations. The vessel, carrying 4,000 tons of powdered stone, was navigating near Quang Nam Port when the incident occurred. By September 19, authorities confirmed the ship had submerged, but thankfully all eight crew members were rescued.

On the same day, a Liberia-flagged container ship veered off its navigation lane and collided with a Ro-Ro ferry docked at the port of Santos, Brazil. Fortunately, the ferry was moored for maintenance with no one aboard, and the container ship crew was unharmed either, though both vessels sustained certain damage with no reported water leakage.

That same day, a major material handling accident occurred at a dock in Houston Port, leading to the death of a worker when a stack of pipes collapsed.

The recent maritime accidents both highlight the challenges faced by the shipping industry in complex environments and underscore the necessity of bolstering maritime safety management. All stakeholders need to jointly ensure shipping safety and efficiency through improved ship design, port operations, or worker safety practices.