Report: Hanjin, MSC vessels collide off Singapore

The hits just keep coming for the beleaguered South Korean ocean carrier as the 8586-TEU Hanjin New York dragged anchor and contacted the 4038-TEU MSC Claudia, causing 11 empty containers to fall overboard, according to Singapore’s The New Paper.    A Hanjin Shipping containership collided with an Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) vessel off Singapore in the Eastern Bunkering “A” area near the Changi Naval Base at around 6 p.m. local time Friday night, according to a report from Singapore’s The New Paper.
   The Hanjin New York reportedly dragged anchor and made contact with the MSC Claudia, causing 11 empty containers to fall off the Hanjin ship. Ten of those containers landed on the bow of the MSC Claudia, and the other fell into the sea, a Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) spokesperson told The New Paper.
   No injuries or pollution were reported as a result of the incident, which reportedly took place during strong currents and winds. A MPA spokesman said both vessels sustained minor damage and were later safely re-anchored.
   The latest news comes as Hanjin is in the midst of a bankruptcy proceeding in its native South Korea. The beleaguered ocean carrier filed for court receivership on Aug. 31, causing several of the firm’s vessels to be stranded at sea, along with their crew and billions of dollars in cargo.
   According to Hanjin’s website, at least seven of its vessels have berthed at the Tanjong Pagar Terminal in Singapore since the collision, including the Hanjin New York. Three Hanjin vessels remain in Singapore, and at least two others, the Hanjin Netherlands and Hanjin China, are expected to berth in the next three days, the MPA said yesterday.
   Built in 2011 and flagged in Panama, the Hanjin New York has a capacity of 8,686 TEUs, while the 1989-built MSC Claudia has a capacity of 4,038 TEUs, according to ocean carrier schedule and capacity database BlueWater Reporting.
   The MSC Claudia serves on the carrier’s Australia Express service between North Europe, the Mediterranean, Africa, Australia, the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent. The loop operates with 13 ships, all from MSC, with an average capacity of 5,835 TEUs.
   The full port rotation of the Australia Express is London Gateway, Antwerp, Le Havre, Marseilles-Fos, La Spezia, Naples, Gioia Tauro, Port de Pointe des Galets, Port Louis, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Fremantle, Singapore, Colombo, Salalah, Djibouti, King Abdullah City, Valencia and London Gateway.