Containership MOL Comfort Adrift

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President: Koichi Muto) reports that the containership MOL Comfort could not continue sailing under its own power because the hull fractured in two parts while under way on the Indian Ocean.

 

At about 10:00 JST (05:00 local time) on June 19, 2013, two parts, fore and aft, laden with containers are drifting at about 2 knots near 12’57”N 61’10”E (the aft) (the central part of the Indian Ocean) in an east-northeast direction.

We have arranged a patrol boat which has already departed from Port of Jebel Ali, U.A.E. to monitor the state of the vessel and the cargo and for the preparation of tow operations. The boat is expected to arrive at the ocean site on 23rd if it goes smoothly. In parallel, we are arranging tugboats to tow the MOL Comfort.

In addition, we have started investigating the cause of the incident jointly with the vessel’s shipbuilder, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.

In the afternoon yesterday (JST), according to a report from our-operated vessel, which passed nearby the site, the MOL Comfort was stably floating even under adverse weather. It has not been acknowledged that fire has occurred nor a large volume of oil has leaked. All crew members were safely rescued when the incident occurred.