Unseaworthy stranded ship at Karachi beach detained

KARACHI – A grounded vessel, MV Heng Tong 77, has been deemed unseaworthy and detained by maritime officials under the regulations of Merchant Ordinance 2001.

The Ministry of Maritime Affairs has also issued a detention order for the stranded vessel at Sea View Beach, Karachi.

In a letter, the maritime officials wrote to the cargo ship’s captain that the navigation and machinery system of the vessel was not working also the unseaworthy cargo ship was hazardous to human lives and marine life.

The @MaritimeGovPK has issued detention orders on MV Heng Tong 77 as per port state rules.
Vessel is not sea worthy due to defective hull & nav equip, weak engine, poor life saving/fire fitting equipment. In this current state it poses a threat to our channel + other vessels well pic.twitter.com/QofW5B8kNX

— Ali Haider Zaidi (@AliHZaidiPTI) August 10, 2021

In subsequent inspections, the ship was declared ‘unseaworthy’. The power to declare it unfit for the sea is granted under section 391 of the Pakistan Merchant Ordinance, 2001, the detention letter reads.

The ship is a threat to the Pakistan maritime channel and other ships due to the defective condition of the hull, navigation equipment, and machinery.

The notice further reads that the ship shall be released only when surveyors issue a satisfactory report. Until then it will be kept in detention.

Last month, the Heng Tong 77 stuck at Karachi's Sea View early after it lost its anchors due to rough weather. The Karachi Port Trust (KPT) said, MV Heng Tong, a Turkey-bound cargo ship coming from Shanghai, was anchored in Pakistan’s territorial waters for a crew change and it never entered the KPT Harbor.

Meanwhile, maritime experts and Pakistan Navy warned of the shipping breaking down that could result in environmental hazards such as oil spills.