The Qem-Star: Crew Feedback and Vessel Data

On March 1, 2018, an intense storm wreaked havoc across southwestern Honshu and Shikoku, resulting in two significant maritime incidents. The pusher tug 'Matsusho Maru', with a deadweight tonnage of 370 (IMO: 8889593), found itself stranded along the Kichi Prefecture coast in the Wakayama region at approximately 1:30 a.m. while pushing the barge 'Matsusho', which was carrying general cargo. Thankfully, the Japanese Coast Guard swiftly responded, airlifting the seven crew members from the tug to safety via helicopter. Later that morning, at 7 a.m., the tanker 'Qem Star', arriving from Ningbo and operating in ballast, also ran aground at the Higashi Harima port entrance on Honshu. Unlike the earlier incident, the 16 Filipino crew members aboard the tanker remained on the ship while tugs were deployed to assist in its refloating efforts. This series of incidents highlights the challenges maritime operators face during adverse weather conditions. For a detailed report and accompanying photo, visit: http://www.lngworldshipping.com/news/view,tanker-and-tug-ground-in-japanese-storm_50963.htm.