MOL tanker damaged attempting rescue
The 146,463-ton crude oil tanker “Bright Artemis” owned by Japanese carrier Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Monday suffered damage to its hull and spilled an estimated 4,200 tons of oil as it attempted to rescue the crew of a vessel on fire in the Indian Ocean.
The “Bright Artemis” was responding to a distress signal from the 10,208-ton vessel “Amar,” located about 290 miles west of the Great Nicobar Island between Sri Lanka and Sumatra Island, when at about 1 p.m. local time “Amar” was swept by a wind wave and struck “Bright Artemis,” causing a gash of about one meter high and five meters wide on the starboard.
Crews from both ships are safe and there is no report of any engine malfunctions to the “Bright Artemis,” which is now sailing eastwards, adjusting its speed to minimize any turbulence.
The MOL ship was transporting 249,997 tons of crude oil from Mina Al-Fahl, Oman and Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia to Japan.
This is the second accident involving a MOL ship in the past month, following the car carrier “Cougar Ace” which rolled over south of Alaska at the end of July after ballast problems.