Feeder ship capsized, sand barge sinks after collision

18.07.2023

A Chinese feeder ship capsized after colliding with a sand barge in Ningbo, China, on 17 July, scattering more than 40 containers into the water.

Maritime Safety Administration officials said that they were alerted to the accident around 10.16 am (local time) on 17 July and sent two patrol vessels to the scene. All the crew members of the 2021-built 922 TEU Xin Yuan Long 6 were evacuated and no one was injured, although the sand barge, Gang Long Fa Zhan, sank.

Video footage from China Central Television shows Xin Yuan Long 6 listing to its port side.

Xin Yuan Long 6 was owned by Shishi Xinyuanlong Shipping, which is based in Quanzhou in Fujian province. The company could not be reached for comment, and it appears that Xin Yuan Long 6 was its only ship.

Salvage work has begun to recover the containers that fell into the water.

The ship had departed Zhenhai Harbor in Ningbo on 17 July and was heading for Xiamen in Fujian province, when the accident happened. Xin Yuan Long 6 appeared to have been moving containers between Ningbo, Xiamen and Guangzhou.