LPG carrier suffers engine failure, Ctg Port narrowly skips major accident

Chattogram Port narrowly escaped a major accident on Tuesday after an LPG-carrying vessel suffered a mechanical failure while berthing in the Karnaphuli Channel, port officials said.

The tanker Gas Harmony developed an engine malfunction at around 10:45 am as it was approaching the United Tank Terminal jetty. For a brief period, the vessel lost control, raising fears of a serious collision in the busy port channel.

Port officials said Captain Asif Ahmed, who was in command of the ship, acted swiftly and managed to halt the vessel just about 1.2 metres (around five feet) from the jetty structure, preventing what could have been a catastrophic incident. The ship was carrying around 5,000 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

Chattogram Port Director (Administration) Md Omar Faruk confirmed the incident, praising the captain’s presence of mind. “Due to a mechanical fault, the LPG carrier was heading towards a major accident. At a critical moment, the captain took immediate and firm decisions and managed to stop the vessel just 1.2 metres from the jetty, saving the port from a serious disaster,” he said.

According to port sources, the 159.9-metre-long Gas Harmony entered the Karnaphuli Channel to berth at the United Tank Terminal jetty, located near the entrance of Chattogram Port. The vessel was carrying about 515 tonnes of propane and 4,570 tonnes of butane.

During berthing, the vessel reportedly veered towards the KAFCO Ammonia Jetty after losing control. The captain deployed the ship’s anchor and used tugboat assistance in time, reducing speed and altering the vessel’s course before bringing it to a stop at a safe distance from the jetty.

Port officials said a collision could have caused extensive damage to port infrastructure and posed serious risks to lives and property, given the hazardous nature of the cargo.

An official involved in guiding the vessel from the outer anchorage to the port channel said controlling a ship in a narrow channel during a mechanical failure is extremely difficult. “It was the captain’s experience and skill that prevented a major accident. Stopping the ship just five feet from the jetty was no small feat,” the official said, requesting anonymity.

Attempts to reach Md Mahmudul Islam Parvez, managing director of Unibengal Business Limited, the ship’s local agent in Bangladesh, were unsuccessful. He later said he was not aware of the incident as he was outside the country at the time.