The Singapore flag ship that was forced to return to the Chittagong port because of high sea after being caught in a storm two days ago left for its destination on Saturday afternoon, port officials said.
The MV Express Karnaphuli laden with more than 800 containers left the Chittagong port about 1:00pm for Singapore, they added.The ship was caught in the storm at high sea near St Martins island on Thursday evening on its way to Singapore and came back to Chittagong port the next day.
‘This ship lost 35 empty containers which fell off into the sea after being hit by the storm. As it returned to Chittagong port, we immediately set up a committee to investigate the matter,’ the Chittagong Port Authority member (operation), Mohammad Shahjahan, said.
‘The ship left the Chittagong port after the inspection by our investigation committee,’ he added.
Michael Rodrigue, general manager of Sea Consortium Ltd, which is the local agent of the MV Express Karnaphuli, said, ‘All the export cargoes on board the ship had been tied strongly before it left the port.’
‘The ship first left the port on Thursday afternoon and it was caught in the storm just four hours after its departure. It was forced return,’ he added.
‘As we have insurance coverage, the compensation against the lost 35 empty containers may be made later,’ he also added.
-With New Age input
