A cargo ship laden with cement sank after losing power and hitting a reef off Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, China, in the early hours of Thursday, September 3, according to local media.
The 40-meter cargo ship Zhe Pu 01833 was carrying 300 tons of cement from Taizhou when it experienced engine failure and hit the reef in the Xiashimen channel at around 7 am local time. The vessel’s crew immediately issued a distress call to the local maritime authorities.
Ningbo Port Group dispatched one of its tugboats which reached the sinking freighter at 7:30 am local time, just in time to rescue the crew of 5 before the Chinese-flagged vessel sank.
The tugs are still at the scene of the accident and are watching for any signs of oil spills, as well as monitoring the safety of navigation around the area.
World Maritime News Staff