Classification
- Incident Type: Grounded
- Severity: Low
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Vessel Name | OOCL Japan |
| Vessel Type | Container |
| IMO Number | 9776195 |
| LOA (m) | 399.9 |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Date | 2017-10-18 |
| Location | Suez Canal |
| Region | Egypt |
| Coordinates | 30.6053, 32.3331 |
| Injuries | 0 |
Key facts
- OOCL confirmed that the ship grounded during its Suez Canal transit on 18 October 2017.
- A company spokesperson said mechanical problems had caused the vessel to go off course and ground in sand.
- Tugboats refloated the vessel within a few hours.
- OOCL Japan then continued its transit through the canal.
Narrative
OOCL Japan grounded while transiting the Suez Canal on 18 October 2017. World Maritime News reported that OOCL attributed the grounding to mechanical problems: according to a company spokesperson, the vessel went off course and grounded in sand. The report described OOCL Japan as a 21,413-TEU ultra-large container vessel sailing from Singapore to the United Kingdom.
The same spokesperson said tugboats refloated the ship within a few hours and that it continued through the canal. OOCL said it had launched an investigation into the actual cause. The available article does not identify the failed equipment, describe damage, or state whether there were casualties, pollution, traffic disruption, or subsequent investigation findings. Those consequences and the final cause therefore remain unconfirmed. No later findings are stated.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|
| 2017-10-18 | OOCL Japan experienced reported mechanical problems, went off course and grounded in the Suez Canal. |
| 2017-10-18 | Tugboats refloated the vessel within a few hours; it continued its canal transit. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|
| Mechanical problems | Reported | OOCL's spokesperson told World Maritime News that mechanical problems caused the vessel to go off course. |
Investigation
OOCL said that it had launched an investigation into the grounding's actual cause. No official findings have been identified in the available material.
References
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