# Deadly Nickel Cargoes



## hawkey01 (Mar 15, 2006)

Came across this story this morning in the Financial section of the MOS.

How have we missed 4 vessels sinking with the loss of 66 crew in 1 year. 
Link below.

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/...cargoes-spate-sinkings.html?ito=feeds-newsxml


Hawkey01


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## Ron Dean (Aug 11, 2010)

hawkey01 said:


> Came across this story this morning in the Financial section of the MOS.
> 
> How have we missed 4 vessels sinking with the loss of 66 crew in 1 year.
> Link below.
> ...


Hawkeye01, 

I can only suggest that the reasons we haven't seen this more widely reported, is because it's been happening on the other side of the World and the loss of life has occurred over a period of time, and not in a single incident.
The report makes very tragic reading nevertheless.

Ron.


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## Mad Landsman (Dec 1, 2005)

It got my attention as well - So a quick internet search turned up:

Jian Fu Star on 27/10/10 Off Taiwan. 13 crew lost.

Nasco Diamond on 11/11/10 North of Philippines. 21 crew lost.

Hong Wei on 03/12/10 North of Philippines 10 crew lost.

All carrying nickel ore and lost in bad weather.


For more details see:
http://maritimeaccident.org/categories/bulk-carrier/

The real problem that is being reported ( but is missed by the MoS) is that the Vinalines Queen sinking occurred months after the matter had been raised and discussed by the IMO, and one would suppose that the issue had been addressed.


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## TommyRob (Nov 14, 2010)

Iron ore fines loaded in India during the monsoon have also led to sinkings. The suggestion here is that as the nickel ore plants are geographically remote, they may be partly unregulated!


http://maritimeaccident.org/tags/liquefaction/


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## hawkey01 (Mar 15, 2006)

I have just been reading the P and I instructions etc on carrying this cargo. I did not realise how dangerous it could be. Also these mines in Indonesia and the Philippines are very remote and surveyors have difficulty in testing the cargoes. This is essential to establish the safety of the cargo and therefore the safety of the ship and crew.

Has a bad smell about it. Looks like short cuts being taken and lives put at risk etc. for the mighty dollar. 

Hawkey01


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## Andrew Craig-Bennett (Mar 13, 2007)

Was in Manila on Monday talking to a friend (better not name him) who is much involved.

One problem that has received no attention, he says, is that nickel ore is not like other similar ore fines cargoes - it can be and often is a mixture of large lumps of rock and fines - this makes it incredibly difficult to test for TML properly.


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## jmcg (Apr 20, 2008)

I read about this just after Christmas 2011.

Oil streak found, Vietnam missing ship’s fate still unknown 


Vinalines Queen, which went missing with 23 crewmen off the Philippines on Sunday. 

An oil streak has been detected near the site where a Vietnamese ship with 23 crewmen went missing off the Philippines on Sunday, but the ship and its crew are nowhere to be found.

According to Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Center (VMRCC), besides the oil streak, rescue forces from Japan and the Philippines found no traces of the Vinalines Queen, which was lost at 20-00N; 123-47.1E, off the northeast of the Luzon Island. 

Both forces have suspended their search, VMRCC said, adding that previously on Sunday and Monday, Taiwanese rescue forces couldn’t continue their search either because of bad weather. 

Vietnam has informed boats and ships operating near the site, which is some 5,000 meters deep, to join in search and rescue efforts, the center stressed.

One of the largest ships of Vietnam National Shipping Lines (Vinalines), Vinalines Queen was transporting 54,000 tons of nickel ore from Morowali in Indonesia to China’s Ningde when the accident occurred. 

The company said before disappearing, the ship tilted 18 degrees. About one hour before, the boat also reported that it tilted 20 degrees due to unknown reasons, while the waters where it was located had strong winds, Vinalines added. 

Vinalines said the ship, built in Japan in 2005, has an advanced self-protection system that can send out emergency signals in dangerous situations. This allows rescuers to detect its location even when it is under water. 

However, since it went missing, Vinalines Queen has not sent any signals, which was probably because the system broke down, an expert told Thanh Nien. 


The above is from a Vietnamese news bulletin.

BW

J(Gleam)(Gleam)


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