Bhubaneswar, Sept 28 (NVI): The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Yesterday averted a major maritime incident after a Belize-flagged chemical tanker carrying around 9,000 metric tonnes of palm oil developed a main engine failure and flooding off the Odisha coast, officials said.
The distress call from MT Seagull 9, carrying 23 crew members, was received around 7:30 am on September 27 when the vessel was about 37 nautical miles east-southeast of Paradip, following rapid flooding of a ballast tank that caused the tanker to develop a dangerous tilt.
The Coast Guard immediately deployed ICGS Vishwast to the location. A specialised damage-control team boarded the unstable vessel and undertook emergency measures to prevent further flooding and the risk of capsizing, officials said.
The team deployed submersible de-flooding pumps, arrested the leakage, blanked two damaged seawater pipelines and contained a third fractured line, stabilising the vessel.
The Coast Guard also diverted a Pollution Control Vessel and an Offshore Patrol Vessel to augment the response. An ICG Dornier aircraft was launched from Bhubaneswar for aerial surveillance and monitoring of the situation.
A minor palm-oil sheen observed near the tanker on September 27 was found to have fully dissipated during follow-up aerial surveillance on September 28, officials said.
Pollution-response measures remain in place as a precaution to protect the marine environment, they said.
Following the stabilisation of the tanker, Paradip Port Authority tug Dolphin took MT Seagull 9 under tow towards the anchorage area off Paradip.
ICGS Vishwast and other specialised Coast Guard assets remain deployed in the area to maintain surveillance and provide operational support, officials said.—(NVI)
