Cargo vessel runs aground in waters off Batangas City

Batangas map. INQUIRER FILES

LUCENA CITY — A cargo vessel ran aground in waters off Batangas City on Wednesday (August 30), the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported.

The PCG-Southern Tagalog District said Thursday that LCT (landing craft, tank) Golden Bella was traveling from Brooke’s Point in Palawan to Manila when it encountered strong winds and moderate to rough seas.

While looking for an anchorage area, the vessel ran aground in a rocky seabed in the shallow waters off Barangay (village) Ilijan at around 2:28 p.m., the PCG said.

An LCT is a specially designed ship for hauling cargo, trucks, containers, building materials, cars, and passengers.

The PCG’s Marine Environmental Protection Force and Special Operations Unit in Southern Tagalog were immediately dispatched to the area to assess the situation and provide necessary assistance.

All 12 crew members were found safe.

The report said the vessel has a fuel load of 13,456 liters of diesel and 173 liters of lube oil.

However, the PCG said no oil spill has been detected in the area so far.

The PCG station in Batangas has advised the Golden Anchor Shipping Lines Corporation, the owner of the 996 gross tonnage LCT Golden Bella, to use a tug boat to tow the ship safely.

Authorities also ordered the shipping company to make necessary preparations, particularly oil spill response operations, in case of an oil spill incident.

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