The 42 meter long landing craft Mahalia capsized off Erromango Island, Vanuatu. The Mahalia was en route to Tanna when it lost stability when the cargo shifted. All 13 crew on board were able to abandon ship into the vessel’s liferaft, before the vessel capsized and later sank. Authorities received a distress beacon and asked a nearby container ship Forum Pacific to aid in the search and rescue efforts. The Forum Pacific arrived on scene and rescued the crew. No reports of injuries.
On February 29, the 85 meter long self-propelled barge Stör allided with a railway bridge over the Stör River in Itzehoe, Germany. The Stör was attempting to berth just before the bridge when it suffered engine failure and could not slow its approach. The barge slammed into the bridge crushing the barge’s wheelhouse. The two crew narrowly escaped by jumping out of the wheelhouse and were uninjured. The Stör remained wedged under the bridge until the tide dropped. Rail traffic resumed a few hours later. The Stör was pulled free and berthed nearby. No reports of pollution released.
On March 1, the 96 meter long bulk carrier Bao Jiang 88 capsized and sank on the Yangze River near Shanghai, China. The Bao Jiang 88 was en route to Nanjing with 4600 tons of iron ore from Ningbo when it suffered a cargo shift. The Bao Jiang 88 quickly developed a list and the 12 crew to abandon ship into a liferaft. The vessel capsized a few minutes later. All 12 crew were later rescued by the Chinese Coast Guard. Authorities state the sunken bulker represents a navigational hazard. Reports say the cause of the capsizing was due to improper trimming of cargo.