Aft Part of MOL Comfort Sinks with 1,500 Metric Tonnes of Fuel Oil Onboard

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Thursday June 27, 2013

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) says the aft part of the containership MOL Comfort sank today in the open sea at 16:48 JST, 11:48 Dubai time, near 14'26"N 66'26"E at a water depth of about 4,000m.

About 1,500 metric tonnes of fuel oil was estimated to be aboard in the tanks of the aft part, but no large volume of oil leakage is confirmed at this moment.

MOL said that approximately 1,700 containers aboard the aft part sank with the vessel section, some of which are confirmed floating near the site.

MOL added that patrol boats it has in the area are monitoring the situation, checking for oil leakage and floating containers.

The fore part of the vessel is being "stably towed" toward the Arabian Gulf.

MOL Comfort broke into two parts last week after it suffered a crack amidships during inclement weather around 200 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen.