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"Overlooking Runway 25 - Right, at Los Angeles International Airport"

"Plugging Up The Hooghly"

Feature Date: November 23 To December 22, 2010

Event Date: January 8 2011

MV Green Valley & M/V Tiger Spring

Countryman & McDaniel

 The Air & Ocean Logistics- Customs Broker & Hull Attorneys

International Trade Consultants

"Overlooking Runway 25 - Right, at Los Angeles International Airport"

On The Scene --34 Mies From Kolkata (Calcutta)

 A 2011 Countryman & McDaniel

Cargo Nightmare Prize Contender

Our Contributor for this feature:

Bob Simpson, Licensed Customs/AQIS Broker, Geodis Wilson Australia Pty Ltd

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A Cargo Nightmare Prize Contender

The Date: November 23 2010

The Time: 11:45 am

The Place: Confluence of The Hooghly River & The Rupnarayan River, India

The Cargoes: Containers

 

"Plugging Up The Hooghly"

M/V Green Valley & M/V Tiger Spring

On The Scene 34 Mies From Kolkata (Calcutta)

Nov. 23 2010

The Prolog To Disaster -- Plying The Hooghly
 

PROLOG

The 149 meter Bahamas-flagged M/V Green Valley was proceeding up the Hooghly River when there was a meeting with the Gibraltar-flagged M/T Tiger Spring.

The Hooghly River (Bengali, Hugli; Anglicized alternatively spelled Hoogli or Hugli), is an approximately 260 kilometers (160 mi) long distributor of the Ganges River in West Bengal, India. It splits from the Ganges as a canal in Murshidabad District at the Farakka Barrage. The town of Hugli-Chinsura, formerly Hooghly, is located on the river, in the Hooghly (district). The origins of the Hooghly name are uncertain, whether the city or the river was named first.

The river's average depth is 200 feet (61 m) and maximum depth is 381 feet (116 m).

The nexus formed by the Hooghly River (Ganges) and the Bay of Bengal, called Ganga Sagar. This is a sacred place for Hindus. A dip in the ocean, where the river drains into the sea is considered to be of great religious significance particularly on the Makara Sankranti day when the sun makes a transition to Capricorn from Sagittarius and this place becomes home to vast fairs, drawing visitors and recluses from all over the state.

The Hooghly River is navigable and the major transport system in the region with a huge traffic flow. For a long time, the Calcutta Port (Kolkata) was the biggest port of India. Though in the past its significance had gone down, but recently it had again came up to the 3rd position in the list of Indian ports. The fish from the river are important to the local economy.

On November 23, 2010, M/V Green Valley was headed to Kolkata, while M/T Tiger Spring was on her way out to sea. They hit each other at a spot called Hooghly Point- the narrowest point in the channel.

The accident occurred around 11.45am, when M/T Tiger Spring was moving southward down the Hooghly after loading containers from Kolkata (Calcutta). The Hooghly is full of bends and bars. At Nurpur, close to the confluence of the Hooghly and the Rupnarayan, there is a huge bend, where sea-bound vessels have to take a steep turn of less than 90 degrees to port.

"After negotiating this bend, the steering mechanism of M/T Tiger Spring got jammed. The ship kept on turning to port . By then, M/V Green Valley approached upriver from Diamond Harbor (where there is another bend) and rammed into the hull of M/T Tiger Spring. The pilot of the latter took evasive action and moved the ship towards the shore and stranded' her on a sandbar. In this way, there was no possibility of its sinking," said Captain P Sahay of the Calcutta Hooghly River Pilots' Guild.

M/V Tiger Spring IMO 9301108, dwt 10701, built 2006, flag Gibraltar, operator Beluga Shipping GmbH.

M/V Green Valley IMO 9101807, dwt 17824, built 1995, flag Bahamas, owner Seaways Shipping Ltd.

 

It all -- of course -- boils down to our guiding code. "Ship Happens! ©"

Michael S. McDaniel - Your Editor

917 TEU M/V Green Valley Evidences The Bow Damage of A Collision

Hooghly River Connects Kolkata (Calcutta) With The Indian Ocean

 MV Green Valley, Carrying 320 Containers From Singapore, Was Proceeding Up River Towards Kolkata Dock System

From The Cargo Letter - Nov. 23 2010
9,600-gt Bahamas-flagged cargo M/V Green Valley (IMO 9101807) collided with 8,971-gt Gibraltar-flagged container ship M/V Tiger Sring (IMO 9301108) on the Hooghly River in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district near Nurpur on Nov 23. The collision was caused by rudder failure of the Tiger Sring at a point where ships have to make a 90-degree-turn to port. The situation was made worse by strong currents. Both vessels were to be taken back to Colcata; no one was hurt in the accident. [From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen, 29-11-10]

M/V Tiger Spring Would Have Continued Sinking, Had The Pilot Not Stranded Her On A Sandbar

MV Tiger Spring, With About 350 Laden Containers, Was Moving From The Kolkata Dock System to Colombo.

You Tube Covers Collision of MV Green Valley & MV Green Valley

MV Tiger Spring With Stark Evidence of Impact By  MV Green Valley

Punctured Below The Waterline, MV Tiger Spring Took On Water

MV Green Valley And Her 12 Crew Continued To Port Without Injuries

The Channel at Hooghly Point Would Be closed For More Than A Month -- Blocked By MV Tiger Spring

You Tube Covers Collision of MV Green Valley & MV Green Valley

Partially Submerged MV Tiger Spring Reported Carrying Hazardous Materials.

The Vessel Is Said Carrying 60 Tons of IMO Class 9 & 4.6 Tons of IMO Class 6.1 Hazmat in 4 Containers.

On 21 Dec. 2010, 120 Tons of Oil Were Successfully Pumped Out of MV Tiger Spring

A High Capacity Crane From Singapore Was Used To Offload Cargo

 

M/V Tiger Spring Was Carrying Nearly 350 Containers, Weighing Some 7,000 Tons.

More Than Half Were Removed On Barges To Reduce The Ship's Weight.

The Channel At Hooghly Point Was Closed For More Than A Month And Reopened To Vessels On Jan. 2 2011

M/V Tiger Spring Was Refloated & Towed To Port For Repairs


Shippers Must Have Quality Marine Cargo Insurance ........ Because......... "Ship Happens! ©"

To Repeat -- No Matter How Careful You Are -- Or Who You Hire ....... "Ship Happens! ©"

Get Your "Ship Happens! ©" Gear!

Visit The Cargo Law Ship's Store For Great Industry Gift Ideas!


The Dedication of This Feature Is Simple: To The Crew of M/V Green Valey, M//V Tiger Spring & their familes.


SPECIAL NOTE: The historic dangers of carriage by air & sae continue to be quite real. Shippers must be encouraged to purchase high quality marine cargo insurance from their freight forwarder or customs broker

It's very dangerous out there.


INDEX TO OUR "Plugging Up The Hooghly" PAGE SPECIAL FEATURES:

The Hooghly River

Some of Our Other India Cenered Features

"Mumbai Departure" - M/V MSC Chitra - Aug. 2010

"The Bridge On The River Shetrumji" - India Road Trip - Nov. 2009

Our Daily Vessel Casualties - stay informed

"Singles Only" - visit our individual moments of transport crisis for more.

The Greatest Container Losses Of All Time - these are the grand fathers -

M/V OOCL America

M/V APL China

M/V APL Panama - The EPIC

"Great Misfortune"- M/V Hyundai Fortune - March 2006


SPECIAL NOTE: The historic dangers of carriage by sea continue to be quite real. Shippers must be encouraged to purchase high quality marine cargo insurance from their freight forwarder or customs broker. 

It's very dangerous out there.


Thanks To Our Contributors For The "Plugging Up The Hooghly" Feature

Our Contributor for this feature is:
Bob Simpson, Licensed Customs/AQIS Broker, Geodis Wilson Australia Pty Ltd
The Cargo Letter appreciates the continuing efforts of this valued contributor.


NOTE: Please Provide Us With Your Additional Information For This Loss.


EDITOR'S NOTE FOR SURVEYORS, ATTORNEYS & MARINE ADJUSTERS: The Internet edition effort of The Cargo Letter now celebrates it's 8th Year of Service -- making us quite senior in this segment of the industry. We once estimated container underway losses at about 1,500 per year. Lloyd's put that figure at about 10,000 earlier this year. Quite obviously, the reporting mechanism for these massive losses is not supported by the lines. News of these events is not posted to the maritime community. Our new project is to call upon you -- those handling the claims -- to let us know of each container loss at sea-- in confidentiality. Many of you survey on behalf of cargo interests with no need for confidentiality. Others work for the lines & need to be protected. As a respected Int'l publication, The Cargo Letter enjoys full press privileges & cannot be forced to disclose our sources of information. No successful attempt has ever been made. If a personal notation for your report is desired -- each contributor will be given a "hot link" to your company Website in each & every report. Please take moment & report your "overside" containers to us. If you do not wish attribution, your entry will be "anonymous." This will will benefit our industry -- for obvious reasons! McD


* NOTE: The Cargo Letter wants you to know that by keeping the identity of our contributors 100% Confidential, you are able to view our continuing series of "Cargo Disasters." Our friends send us materials which benefit the industry. The materials are provided to our news publication with complete and enforceable confidentiality for the sender. In turn, we provide these materials to you.  

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