The crew of the US cargo ship SLNC York has been safely evacuated after the ship started taking on water in the Pacific Ocean, according to its operator, Schuyler Line Navigation Company (SLNC).
The incident happened on August 18 while the ship was operating in the Pacific. The exact cause of the water intake is still being investigated.
SLNC reported that the crew and technical teams quickly responded to manage the flooding. The ship remains stable and is set to receive help from another vessel for its journey to port.
As a safety measure, the entire crew was transferred to the nearby Pacific Yantai, which came to offer assistance.
“All crew members are safe, unharmed, and accounted for,” said SLNC.
AIS data indicates that the SLNC York was traveling from Honolulu, Hawaii, to Naha, Japan.
The SLNC York is part of the U.S. Maritime Administration’s Maritime Security Program, which includes a fleet of commercially operated U.S.-flagged vessels ready to assist the Department of Defense during wartime or national emergencies.
The company is working with the U.S. Coast Guard, Japan Coast Guard, and other emergency response teams to help the SLNC York reach port.
SLNC has not revealed the exact location of the vessel, the extent of any damage, or the port to which it will be taken.
AIS tracking data showed that the Pacific Yantai is headed to Yeosu, Republic of Korea.
Built in 2010, the SLNC York is a 141.6-meter multipurpose roll-on/roll-off and heavy-lift cargo ship, with a deadweight of about 9,500 metric tons and a gross tonnage of 12,679. The ice-class vessel features two 350-metric-ton heavy-lift cranes and has a service speed of 15.5 knots.
The cause of the water intake issue is still being investigated.