[060713.EN.SEA] MOL Appoints Lloyd's Register as Expert Consultant In Boxship Disaster

JAPAN's Mitsui OSK Lines(MOL) has appointed London's Lloyd's Register (LR) as an expert in ship design certification and shipbuilding inspection to determine the cause of the ongoing MOL Comfort ship disaster.

The 8,000-TEU containership split in two in heavy seas on June 17 off the coast of Oman and Yemen with the after section of the ship sinking shortly afterwards while the front end was towed towards the Arabian Gulf. All aboard were rescued.

"MOL has been going all out to determine the cause ever since. MOL will seek LR's counsel about measures to determine the cause and to reinforce the safety of sister vessels through a full cooperation," said a communique from the company.

"LR has abundant experience, knowledge, and expertise in approving the design drawings and shipbuilding/post-delivery inspections of many large-size containerships," said the MOL statement.

"Lloyd's Register has abundant experience of approving the design drawings and inspecting more than 100 containerships larger than 8,000 TEU during and after shipbuilding. Its amount of tonnage is the second largest in the world," MOL said.

Source : HKSG.