Ship launch meltdown

Vinashin officials said that hot weather caused the failure to launch the 10,500 dwt ?Sun Island? tweendecker dry cargo ship at its Bach Dang shipyard in northern Hai Phong city.

The 110 metre long and 18.8 metre wide newbuilding was designed by Japanese Wada Bussan Company and built under a contract inked with Japanese NOMA Marine Transport Company.

Chu The Hung, General Director of the shipyard, explained that temps of 40 to 41?C had melted the paraffin wax on the supporting prop, which was to propel the ship into the water. Without the wax in place to lubricate the propulsion, the ship was unable to make it all the way into the water and became lodged on the rails. After unsuccessful attempts by tugs to pull the ship into the water, it remained suspended with part of the hull in mid-air.

Hung said that they would have to wait for the high tide in about 10 days. During the incident, part of the bilge system had been damaged, and there is the potential for more structural damage if the situation isn?t rectified soon.