Fifty-one containers had to be salvaged after a collision between a feeder vessel and a general cargo ship in Thailand’s Chao Phraya River on 2 November.
Around 11 am local time, the 2009-built 160TEU NP Pathumthani, owned by Siam Cement Group’s shipping unit SCG Logistics, was sailing from Laem Chabang port to Khlong Toei Terminal in Bangkok port, while the 1995-built 1,300 dwt O.P.K. 3, owned by OPK Global Logistics, was travelling in the opposite direction, carrying containers from Bangkok to Laem Chabang.
Muang police station’s deputy investigation chief was quoted by Bangkok Post as saying that the collision happened in the middle of the river in Samut Prakan province.
As the ships passed each other, NP Pathumthani allegedly collided into the port side of the O.P.K 3, causing a two metres-deep hole in the hull of O.P.K 3. The captain of O.P.K 3 promptly steered the vessel to the shore in Phra Samut Chedi district while other crew members tried to pump out the water that was flowing into the stricken ship.
As the O.P.K 3 became partially submerged, officials had to salvage the 51 containers on board, while the NP Pathumthani suffered minimal damage. Buoys were placed around the O.P.K.3 to prevent oil from leaking into the river.
None of the crew members on the two ships were injured.
Container News spoke to employees of both SCG Logistics and OPK and was informed that arrangements are being made to repair the ships. SCG Logistics provides multimodal transportation services for raw materials and finished goods, while OPK is involved in domestic container transhipments around Chao Phraya River and the Gulf of Thailand.
Martina Li
Asia Correspondent
