Oil tanker hits wheat carrying ship at Chattogram Port

Two commercial vessels collided at sea in the outer anchorage of Chattogram Port. The Sunshine was a wheat carrying vessel belonging to a private importer. The other vessel, the Sea Spike, was a tanker carrying gas oil imported for the state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation.

The incident occurred at around 2:00 pm on Friday. Following the accident, water began entering the engine room of the Sunshine. No casualties have been reported so far. The Sea Spike remains undamaged.

A sailor who witnessed the incident said, “The Liberia flagged bulk carrier Sunshine was anchored at the Alpha Anchorage in the outer anchorage. At the same time, the Marshall Islands flagged tanker Sea Spike hit the Sunshine while anchoring. The hull of the Sunshine was damaged, and water subsequently began entering the engine room.”

Following the incident, a port pilot, the salvage assistance vessel tugboat Kandari 8, and a Coast Guard team arrived at the scene.

They are now providing assistance to the damaged vessel. Allegations have emerged that the Sea Spike tanker is required to use the port’s own pilot when anchoring. The accident occurred while the vessel was attempting to anchor using a hired pilot, according to the allegations.

Nazrul Islam, managing director of Pride Shipping, the local shipping agent for the Sea Spike, said, “For vessels outside the port’s outer anchorage, it is not necessary to use the port’s own pilot. We operate with a bay pilot. The Sunshine was carrying 52,000 tons of wheat from abroad. The Sea Spike was carrying 33,000 tons of gas oil for the government.”