LNG Tanker Collides with Bulk Carrier Near Hay Point Terminal

On July 16, an LNG tanker named HL Eco collided with the anchored bulk carrier YM Serenity near the Hay Point terminal in Queensland, Australia.

The incident occurred at 12:09 PM local time, when HL Eco was attempting to anchor at Hay Point's northern anchorage N8. The vessel experienced a malfunction in its main engine propulsion system, leading to a loss of control. 

As a result, HL Eco drifted and struck the bow of YM Serenity, which was anchored nearby at the N7 anchorage.

The collision caused the bow of YM Serenity to be hit by the port side of HL Eco. Additionally, the starboard anchor of YM Serenity became entangled with HL Eco, resulting in the loss of the anchor and some structural damage.

The impact was severe enough to slice open the LNG bunker tank of HL Eco, with fragments of the tank found on YM Serenity. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported, and both vessels were in ballast, meaning there was no immediate risk of pollution.

The incident was reported to the MSC Hay Point vessel traffic service, which dispatched two tugboats to assist the vessels. Both ships were successfully re-anchored for further inspection.

The captain of HL Eco appeared in an Australian court on July 30, facing charges of violating International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs). The captain has been granted bail with a fine.