Multi Trader
IMO Number | 7615622 |
---|---|
Call sign | XUBV8 |
Type | Small General Cargo Ship |
DWT | 1010 |
Length | 59.95m |
Beam | 9.53m |
Draft | 3.20m |
Crew | 7 |
Cargo | 1000 tons of cement, whitewash, plaster |
Builder | Scheepsbouw Van Rossum, Heerewaarden, Netherlands |
Flag | Cambodia |
Owner | Salamander Shipping and Trading Co. Ltd. |
Agent | MGM Marine Shipping, Kalyonlu Shipping |
Sink date | July 26, 2007 |
Sink reason | cargo unbalance |
Survivors | all |
Coordinates | N43 51.060 E028 40.800 |
Depth | 36m |
History
The vessel was built at the Scheepsbouw Van Rossum from Heerewaarden, Netherlands, for the Union Transport London, and it was named Union Saturn. The keel was laid in 1977 as yard number 817, and the construction was completed in September 1977.
During its existence, the ship had the following names:
- Union Saturn, 1977-1989, owned by Union Transport, London
- Osprey, 1989-1992, owned by Blue Lagoon Shipping
- Seagull II, 1992-1996, owned by Hibiscus Maritime
- Multi Trader, 1996-2007
Sinking
Multi Trader was travelling from the Turkish port of Herakle to Constanta, with a cargo of construction materials. At about 10:00, it moored outside of the Mangalia harbour, and during the conversation with the harbour master, the captain, Akakiy Chichua, stated that there are no issues on board. The weather was perfect, sunny with a flat sea, and the ship continued its trip to Constanta.
At 18:55, the captain sent out an S.O.S., asking for help from a tug boat, as the ship was taking water through a ballast tank, and it was heeling dangerously at a 20 degrees angle. Two vessels were dispatched in reply, Topaz belonging to ARSVOM, and the patrol boat 180 from the Border Police. When they arrived to the place of the incident, at 20:45, the sailors (4 Georgians, 2 Turks, 1 Ukrainian) had already jumped into 2 lifeboats, in the vicinity of the sinking ship. They were rescued by the Border Police's vessel, which transported them to the shore.
At 21:25, the ship went down, before the tug boat Hercules was able to provide any help.
Two days after the sinking, Harry Bakker inspected the wreck at the request of the Constanta Harbour Master.
The following investigation revealed that the ship was already listing while en route to Mangalia. The captain had informed the owner about the situation, and he was forbidden to report it to the authorities. Most probably, there was an unbalance in the loading of the cargo, or there was some water hole in the hull, caused by the ship's age.
Diving
I never had the opportunity to dive this wreck, nor found any information on the internet, so it will require a little bit more research.