Tender called for salvage of Chinese heavylift vessels wrecked off Taiwan
The ill-fated vessel had previously caused the collapse of a crane at Keelung port before subsequently running aground near New Taipei, and is now bound for the scrapyard
After the successful removal of 280 tonnes of remaining oil, Yu Zhou Qi Hang, which has been stranded since October, will soon be scrapped
A TENDER will be called next month for the salvage and scrapping of the China-flagged heavylift vessel that grounded off north Taiwan last October.
The operation is expected to be completed before the onset of the typhoon season, according to the local maritime authority.
Following the shipowner’s decision to abandon the vessel and its cargo, Yu Zhou Qi Hang’s (IMO: 9643776) P&I Club is set to open bidding for salvage and dismantling operations on March 7.
The selected bidder is expected to submit a plan for approval before dismantling the ship and three cranes on board, the Taiwan Maritime Port Bureau said.
According to Lloyd’s List Intelligence the China-flagged Yu Zhou Qi Hang ran aground in the waters off Yehliu Geopark on October 29, 2024, after being asked to vacate Keelung port ahead of Typhoon Kong-rey. The vessel was abandoned and all 17 crew members were rescued.
The same vessel had on October 14 knocked down a quay crane in Keelung port, in a botched attempt to unload new cranes from Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company Limited at the port. The quay crane at Berth 20 collapsed and several containers were damaged, although no casualties were reported.
The damaged new crane cost about TWD300m ($9.2m), and the total loss caused by the accident was expected to add up to more than TWD2.5m, according to the port authority.
An investigation is currently underway, with liability assessments being conducted by China Container Terminal Corp and the shipowner.
Amid pollution concerns, salvage and fuel removal efforts were hampered by bad weather caused by the prevailing northeast monsoon. The removal of 247 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and 37 tonnes of light diesel oil started on November 26 and was completed on January 14.
The ship is insured by UK P&I Club, which has been actively involved in managing the aftermath of the grounding.
The silver lining in this misfortune was that the ship’s oil tanks were on the port side, and it grounded with a starboard list, preventing any oil tank damage or spillage, Taiwan Transport Insurance Services general manager Adelaide Yang was quoted as saying.
“The scrapping might be conducted someplace else than Taiwan,” a source close to the local authority told Lloyd’s List.
The MPB stated that plans have been requested from the shipowner and P&I club for the removal of remaining cargo and scrapping of the vessel.
Before any further operation begins, the ship’s structural stability and environmental impact will be closely monitored, including tracking tilt and displacement, implementing typhoon-related stabilisation efforts, and ensuring the readiness of emergency response teams and equipment, said the bureau, and efforts are being made to restore the ecological environment of Yehliu Geopark.
