Twenty-two seafarers remain unaccounted for following the sinking of the Panama-flagged bulk carrier Ocean Winner in the Bay of Bengal. The vessel, carrying 24 crew members, including 20 Chinese nationals, three Myanmar nationals, and one Bangladeshi national, went down on August 22, triggering a significant search and rescue operation involving the Indian Coast Guard and nearby merchant vessels. According to gCaptain, a distress alert was received and the Indian Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre at Sri Vijaya Puram initiated the rescue mission approximately 230 nautical miles southeast of Paradip.
Search and Rescue Efforts
The Indian Coast Guard deployed three ships to continue searching for the remaining 22 crew members. A distress message broadcast through the International Safety Net prompted passing vessels to divert to the scene. The tanker Aisopos rescued two survivors from life rafts, but the search for the other 20 crew members continues. The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITWF) expressed its concern and called on the Panama flag state to conduct an urgent investigation into the sinking.
Focus on Cargo Liquefaction
The Ocean Winner casualty has drawn renewed attention to the risks posed by cargo liquefaction on bulk carriers. The phenomenon, where moisture in certain bulk cargoes causes material to behave like a liquid, can lead to significant shifts in cargo and destroy a vessel’s stability. INTERCARGO, the International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners, has warned that cargo liquefaction remains the deadliest hazard facing the bulk carrier sector. Seventeen bulk carriers of 10,000 deadweight tons or larger were lost worldwide between 2016 and 2025, resulting in 71 seafarer deaths, with cargo liquefaction accounting for 37 of those fatalities.
Previous Incidents and Industry Response
The Ocean Winner’s sinking follows the earlier loss of the 56,000-dwt Devon Bay, which also carried nickel ore, earlier this year. INTERCARGO, in a statement, called for continued vigilance on bulk carrier safety, expressing deep concern over the 22 missing seafarers and their families. INTERCARGO believes three actions are essential: establishing the causes and contributing factors of the Ocean Winner’s loss through a thorough, independent, and timely investigation; continuing to apply the lessons identified through long-term casualty analysis; and maintaining rigorous safeguards for the safe carriage of bulk cargoes in accordance with the IMSBC code.
What This Means for Operators
The incident underscores the critical need for operators to take proactive measures to mitigate the risks associated with cargo liquefaction. This includes ensuring proper cargo management and stability calculations, adhering to the IMSBC code, and maintaining robust communication protocols. Vessels carrying susceptible cargoes should conduct regular stability checks and monitor cargo conditions closely to prevent similar incidents in the future.
