New MSC ship accident: 4,437-TEU Carole runs aground on reef off Jakarta

IN the second MSC ship accident since the MSC Rena ran aground off New Zealand in October, the MSC-operated 4,437-TEU Carole has run aground on a reef off Jakarta, where it remains after unsuccessful attempts to refloat it.

Slot buyer APL issued a statement to customers: "Maersk Line has advised that all crew members are safe and no oil spillage has been observed. The extent of damage to the vessel and/or cargo has not yet been ascertained."



Confusion arose as the MSC ship was deployed on a Maersk Line service under a vessel sharing agreement, reported Lloyd's List, adding that Maersk has since said its responsibility extended to container stowage, not navigation.



APL notice to customers said: "Your cargo is on board the vessel. Unfortunately, this incident is likely to delay delivery. We will keep you informed once we receive further updates."



The February 27 grounding follows several MSC containership accidents in recent years, starting with the loss of the 4,688-TEU MSC Napoli in the English Channel in 2007, followed by the collision of the 2,314-TEU MSC Chitra with a 33,113-ton bulk carrier in 2010 on the Hoogly River channel into Calcutta, and last October's loss of the MSC 3,037-TEU Rena off New Zealand's North Island.