Bulk carrier Aquacharm, carrying more than 170,000 tonnes of iron ore from Australia, suffered significant damage after striking an unfinished section of a wharf at Dung Quat Port in central Vietnam.
The incident occurred on 18 October while the vessel was manoeuvring toward berth No. 10 at the Hoa Phat Dung Quat steel complex in Quang Ngai Province.
Aquacharm had arrived off Dung Quat on 14 October after a voyage from Australia and was waiting to begin cargo discharge operations.
On the evening of 18 October, a pilot boarded the vessel and the ship began moving toward berth No. 10.
Around one hour later, the 292-metre bulk carrier struck a section of quay structure that was still under construction.
The impact involved an approximately 50-metre extension between berths No. 10 and No. 11 that had not yet been officially placed into service.
As a result of the collision, Aquacharm suffered a hull breach measuring about five metres in length in the bow area.
Damage was reported on both sides of the forward section, but the affected areas remained well above the waterline.
Despite the visible damage, the vessel remained afloat and was able to continue manoeuvring before berthing at around 18:30.
All 22 crew members were reported safe. No damage to fuel tanks or oil pollution was recorded.
At the time of the incident, Aquacharm was carrying approximately 170,856 tonnes of iron ore from Australia.
The vessel has a deadweight of about 182,309 tonnes, an overall length of 292 metres, and sails under the flag of the Marshall Islands.
Aquacharm was built in 2022.
The wharf itself also sustained damage, although the full extent is still being assessed. Other berths at the terminal continued operating normally.
Authorities in Quang Ngai formed a special investigation team following the accident.
According to preliminary information cited by local media, possible contributing factors may have included difficulties in controlling the vessel’s speed and communication issues during the manoeuvre. However, the official cause of the accident has not yet been established, and the investigation remains ongoing.
With the region approaching a period of stronger winds and storms, authorities also ordered additional safety measures around the damaged bulk carrier.
The shipowner was instructed to maintain at least one azimuth-propelled tug with a combined power of more than 5,000 hp on continuous standby near Aquacharm.
The tug is expected to remain ready for pollution response, firefighting, rescue operations and emergency movement of the vessel if required.
Current attention is focused on safely discharging the iron ore cargo and assessing the condition of Aquacharm before the vessel is moved from the port.
Despite the five-metre hull damage and significant damage to the wharf, the incident resulted in no injuries and no reported marine pollution.
