Chemical tanker RYOSHIN MARU collided with Chinese general cargo ship XIN HAI 99 around 0200 Tokyo in time on August 20 around 2 miles off Kushimoto, Wakayama Prefecture, southeast Honshu.
The ships were sailing in opposing directions, and the tanker’s bow hit the cargo ship’s starboard superstructure area. The hull was damaged, the engine room was flooded and XIN HAI 99 was able to develop a forward tilt and a starboard list. The XIN HAI 99 could have escaped by its power or was towed/escorted into the bay off Shinomisaki and was likely deliberately grounded to prevent sinking.
A leak in fuel has been reported, and CG is responding to stop this leak. XIN HAI 99 was sailing in steel cargo Kawasaki to Wakamatsu. The tanker was ballasting between Kobe to Kashima. The tanker was anchored off the Wakayama coast to be inspected and investigated. Her bow suffered serious damage.
