Containership splits in two off Keelung

The hull of the TS Taipei, which has been grounded off the coast of Keelung, Taiwan since March 10, cracked down the middle yesterday, spilling fuel and putting the containership at risk of sinking.    A grounded containership has split in two off the off the coast of Keelung, Taiwan, spilling fuel and putting the vessel at risk of sinking.
   The TS Taipei ran aground March 10 after losing propulsion in a storm that pushed the ship into a rocky shallow. The vessel was on its way to Hong Kong after leaving Keelung, Taiwan the previous day.
   The Taiwan Coast Guard was able to rescue all 21 of the crew on board the ship at the time of the incident, but a Taiwan National Airborne Service Corps helicopter crashed during post-rescue efforts, leaving two men dead and one in critical condition. The helicopter had been dropping members of the country’s Environmental Protection Agency on to the grounded containership in order to investigate any potential environmental danger resulting from the incident.
   If the wreck capsizes, it could cause additional pollution from heavy fuel oil as well as hazardous materials reported to be inside containers on board. Two EPA oil collection boats have been working the site of the accident to remove the spilled oil from the water.
   The vessel’s operator, TS Lines, had been working to pump the fuel out of the tanks of the grounded vessel and negotiate the salvage process, but suspended those operations due to harsh weather. Yesterday, the hull of the TS Taipei began to crack and eventually broke in two.
   Built in 2006, the TS Taipei has a capacity of 1,578 TEUs, according to ocean carrier schedule and capacity database BlueWater Reporting.