The 230-m-long ship, named SMART, ran aground. It was not blocking shipping lanes or impeding operations at RBCT, according to Reuters. The single-hull, 151,279 dwt ship is registered to Alpha Marine Corp and flies a Panamanian flag. After loading at Richards Bay, it was intended to deliver its cargo to a port in China, according to Thomson Reuters data.
A spokesperson for the South African Maritime Safety Authority said there was an estimated 1,769 tons of fuel oil and 129 tons of diesel on board, but there was no immediate threat of a spill. The salvage will focus on the removal of the fuel first, the spokesperson said. The 23 crew members including the captain were airlifted off the vessel after it ran aground. No injuries were reported.
