The MV SL Star, a Comoros-flagged general cargo vessel capsizes and sinks while berthed in Shahid Rajaei Port in Bandar Abbas, Iran, on March 19, 2019.
The ship had 153 containers on board according to Vesselsvalue´s data. Some of them already surfacing and floating around.
Fourteen (14) crew, mainly Indians, are reported to be safe. Three (3) men were transported to a local hospital, with one suffering serious foot injuries, according to Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO).
An investigation into the exact cause of the incident has been launched. However, Iranian Tasnim News Agency report indicates that “a lack of coordination between the ship’s officer and the contractor charged with unloading the vessel” is likely the cause of the capsizing. Hence, discrepancies between dockers and the crew which led to stability loss. It is considered either cargo shifting or wrongly loaded.
The PMO added that preparations have been made to deal with possible pollution. In addition, container removal operations have begun.
Details if the vessel – SL STAR China Built ship, IMO 9432452, DWT 4,210, GT 2,827 built 2007, flag Comoros, manager SEA LINK SHIPPING LLC, UAE.
