MOL bulker collides, sinks near China

MOL bulker collides, sinks near China    Japanese carrier MOL said Friday that its bulker Bright Century collided with a Liberian-flagged freighter and sank off the coast of China on May 2.
   All crewmembers from both ships were rescued, MOL said.
   The collision occurred at 5:30 a.m. in foggy conditions 23 miles east of the Shangdong Peninsula. The Bright Century's crew were rescued by another vessel sailing nearby, while the crew aboard the freighter, the Sea Success, were rescued by helicopter.
   'The Bright Century left Dampier, Australia, with about 170,000 tons of iron ore bound for the port of Bayuquan, Liaoning Province,' MOL said. 'At the time of its sinking, the vessel had around 400 tons of fuel oil and about 70 tons of diesel oil left in its tanks. An oil slick approximately 5,500 meters long and 1,000 meters wide has been observed, and Chinese authorities are taking the necessary countermeasures. As of May 7, none of the slick had touched shore.'
   MOL said the accident is under investigation.