Vimc-Diamond Ship Details and Seafarer Feedback

In a strategic maneuver to mitigate the pressing urea shortage in South Korea, Sinokor Merchant Marine has redirected the 'Vinalines Diamond' to Ulsan on November 23, 2021. This vessel is essential for transporting vital urea supplies from China, which are legally required as an additive in diesel-fuel vehicles to reduce emissions. The current shortage has become critical, prompting the South Korean government to implement rationing measures. The root cause of the urea deficit lies in China's recent power restrictions on manufacturing, which significantly curtailed its fertilizer production capabilities. Consequently, these limits have led to a restriction on urea exports from China. The 'Vinalines Diamond', chartered by Sinokor from the Vietnam Maritime Corporation, had originally been deployed on the Busan-Qingdao-Tianjin route and was docked at the Jeongil Ulsan Container Terminal when this decision was made. To address the urea crisis, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) coordinated with the shipping line to utilize the vessel to pick up an emergency supply of 300 tonnes of urea from Tianjin. This cargo is part of a larger agreement where Lotte Chemical Corp is set to acquire a total of 18,700 tonnes of urea from its Chinese supplier. The shipment was initially scheduled for November 18 but was delayed by heavy snowfall in northern China. With the pressure of tight shipping capacity and the urgent need for urea in South Korea, the MOF intervened decisively. Instead of continuing to Qingdao, the 'Vinalines Diamond' made an immediate diversion to Ulsan to unload the crucial cargo. This adjustment necessitated rescheduling ship movements and notifying shippers about the delayed arrival in Qingdao. While efforts to alleviate the urea shortage are ongoing, Sinokor has committed to collaborating with various ministries and shipping firms to guarantee the prompt delivery of urea imports until the situation is resolved.

In a notable maritime incident on April 2, 2020, the cargo vessel 'Vinalines Diamond' experienced an allision with the ferry terminal pontoon at Cat Lai, located on the Nha Be River in Ho Chi Minh City. The event occurred at approximately 5:30 a.m. as the vessel was navigating towards the container terminal, having arrived from Port Klang. The allision led to significant damage to the ferry terminal as the 'Vinalines Diamond' lost control and collided at slow speed with the pontoon as well as two ferries that were moored alongside. Fortunately, following the incident, the vessel was successfully docked at Ben Nghe Port without any reported injuries.