THE 4,308 TEU container ship MSC Acapulco IV is due to arrive back in Port Philip this afternoon, after suffering engine problems off Cape Otway during a scheduled voyage from Melbourne to Jakarta.
The 2009-built vessel is employed on MSC’s weekly Koala service from China via South East Asia and return and had sailed from Melbourne at 1420 hours on Tuesday [28 April] but broke down off the Victorian south coast.
The tug Svitzer Albatross was despatched from Geelong under commercial arrangements and reached MSC Acapulco IV yesterday afternoon.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said it is closely monitoring the Portuguese-flagged ship, which has 23 crew onboard.
“AMSA takes the safety of crew and protection of the marine environment seriously and understands there are no crew injuries or pollution risks to the environment,” a spokesperson said.
“AMSA remains in contact with the vessel’s Master, operator and company and is working closely with relevant state and port authorities in Victoria to support the vessel being towed back to Port Philip Bay.”
An MSC spokesperson told DCN the company was awaiting an update from the ship, “as they try and find out what the issue is”.
MSC Acapulco IV has called Australia on several MSC services in the last six months, and also called under MSC charter in 2020 when named MP The Law, one of a fleet of container ships then owned by Mangrove Partners of the USA and named after American gridiron football players and coaches.