Chinese cargo ship Anyang-2 is stranded in shallow seas near Nevelsk port in Sakhalin Island, Russia. Photo: Xinhua News Agency
China and Russia are actively advancing the rescue efforts for the Chinese cargo ship Anyang-2, which ran aground near Sakhalin Island, Russia, on February 9, according to the Chinese Consulate General in Vladivostok, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Sunday. Consular staff boarded the ship after it became stranded to check on the 20 crew members, who are all in good health and well-supplied with food and water.
The Chinese cargo ship Anyang-2 ran aground near the Port of Nevelsk on Sakhalin Island in the early hours of February 9 following a severe storm. The vessel was carrying approximately 50 tons of diesel and 700 tons of heavy fuel oil, Xinhua reported.
The consulate general said a working group sent by Chinese authorities recently arrived in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, capital of Russia's Sakhalin Oblast. The working group held consultations with local Russian authorities and rescue agencies regarding the salvage of the ship.
They discussed oil removal methods, the accommodation and supply of crew members, the deployment of Russian rescuers to monitor the stranded vessel, and post-incident procedures. A letter of intent for oil removal was signed, and both sides are now finalizing the next steps of the rescue, according to Xinhua.
The vessel ran aground in rough seas amid a severe storm on a shoal only about 200 meters from shore near the port of Nevelsk. Shortly after, heavy snow began to fall, and temperatures dropped to around -10 C. From the coastline, parts of the stern's propeller blades are visible above water, and the ship's boarding ladder is clearly in view. The ship was carrying approximately 50 tons of diesel and 700 tons of heavy oil.
A Russian maritime rescue officer on site told Xinhua that since the day of the incident, he and his colleagues have been taking shifts in turn to closely monitor the situation.
On February 14, Sakhalin Oblast Governor Valery Limarenko said on social media that the stranded Chinese cargo ship had not caused any pollution to surrounding waters, according to CCTV News.
Global Times
