Taiwan Enhances Maritime Safety with Tug Boats for Stranded Ships Post-Typhoon Incident

The Maritime and Port Bureau of Taiwan announced plans to have tug boat operators stationed at the nation’s seaports to assist and remove stranded ships. This decision came after criticism over the handling of the Chinese cargo ship Yu Zhou Qi Hang, which was stranded off the northeast coast before Super Typhoon Kong-rey hit on Oct. 31. The Northern Maritime Affairs Center alerted authorities about the ship sailing at an abnormal speed, leading to a coordinated emergency response involving the National Rescue Coordination Center and the Coast Guard Administration.

Despite efforts to assist the stranded ship and its 17 crew members, the captain abandoned the vessel, causing it to remain stranded. The bureau took steps to block the ship’s oil tank and install an oil containment boom in various locations to protect the oceanic environment. Additionally, regulations under the Commercial Port Act and the Taiwan International Port Corp’s rules for typhoon berthing procedures were cited to explain the decision-making process regarding ships in port during severe weather conditions.

In response to the incident and to enhance disaster response capabilities, the Executive Yuan approved a plan to increase the capacity of emergency tow and rescue vessels at offshore wind farms. The bureau will be authorized to hire tug boats and rescue ships with specific capabilities to stand by at commercial ports. These vessels must meet certain criteria, including having over 10,000 horsepower and a towing capacity of more than 150 tonnes to effectively respond to maritime emergencies.

Source