The vessel was loaded with soya beans to be discharged at Bhavnagar.

Bhavnagar is a tidal port.

The maximum tide rise here is about 10 mtrs during spring tide.

The vessel was berthed during the flood tide and the discharge of cargo commenced at the falling tide. The vessel has to be kept very close to the jetty during the falling tide, due to the shore crane reach was very short. At 0000hrs the vessel was floating and was in upright condition. At 0315 hrs 2nd officer called chief officer and reported that the ship had sat at the bottom. Master was informed of the situation. The vessel had another 1050 tonnes of cargo to be discharged.

On sitting down, the ship listed to stbd side. The vessel was tightened to the jetty, and as the water ran out, the forward part and the aft accommodation part of boar deck about 1’ went inside the jetty. The jetty was in bad condition.At about 0545 hrs, the flood tide started. At about 0700 hrs, chief office told 2/E to ballast stbd side tanks, to keep the ship listed to stbd side, to enable the tugs to pull the ship with ease. Ballasting started and the ship started floating at 0900 hrs. The ballasting was stopped, tugs came and pulled the ship.

Aft part came out very easily, but in the forward part, the bollard had stuck into the jetty very hard, and it took sometime to pull out the ship. No major damage to the ship, but the jetty got damaged. Notice of protest was issued to the ship by port authorities.But the cargo discharge was done and the ship left the port without any damages claims etc.
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