Bhubaneswar: A coordinated response by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Paradip Port Authority on Monday helped avert a serious maritime emergency involving the Belize-flagged chemical tanker MT Seagull 9 off the Odisha coast.
The vessel, carrying around 9,000 metric tonnes of crude palm oil and 23 crew members, reported a distress situation at about 7:30 am on September 27 after its main engine failed and a ballast tank began flooding rapidly. The flooding caused the vessel to develop a dangerous tilt while it was around 37 nautical miles east-south-east of Paradip.
The Indian Coast Guard immediately deployed ICGS Vishwast to the location. A specialist Coast Guard Damage Control Team boarded the unstable vessel and undertook emergency measures to prevent further flooding and stabilise the tanker, according to an official statement.
The team used submersible de-flooding pumps, arrested the leakage, blanked two damaged seawater pipelines and contained a third fractured line. These measures helped eliminate the immediate risk of the vessel capsizing.
Paradip Port Authority coordinated tug assistance to bring the vessel safely towards the harbour. The distress signal was received by Harbour Master Capt. Indranil Mukherjee, who coordinated the initial assistance. Under the direction of Deputy Conservator Capt. A.C. Sahoo, the PPA tug Dolphin proceeded to the vessel, located approximately 40 miles from Paradip, and towed it towards the port.
After reaching the harbour, MT Seagull 9 entered under minimum engine power and was safely berthed at NQ2 under the supervision of Deputy Conservator Capt. A.C. Sahoo and pilot Capt. S.B. Panigrahi.
The Coast Guard also diverted a Pollution Control Vessel and an additional Offshore Patrol Vessel to strengthen the response. ICG Dornier aircraft operating from Bhubaneswar carried out aerial surveillance to monitor the situation.
A minor palm-oil sheen detected near the vessel on September 27 was found to have fully dissipated during follow-up aerial surveillance on September 28. Pollution-response protocols continue to remain in place as a precaution to protect the marine environment.
The combined efforts of the Indian Coast Guard and Paradip Port Authority ensured the safety of the vessel, its crew and cargo while maintaining continued monitoring of the surrounding marine environment.
