MSC: Other Ship in Mumbai Collision at Fault

Mediterranean Shipping Co. said Tuesday that a preliminary review of the black box carried by the MSC Chitra during its collision on Saturday in the Port of Mumbai indicated that “under the rules of navigation the Khaligia 3 was significantly in error.”

The statement, which MSC issued from its headquarters in Geneva, said that the recording on the black box indicated that the MSC Chitra “was properly proceeding outbound within the main navigation channel when the Khaligia 3, with salvors' escort tugs in attendance, left what we believe was the Khaligia 3’s anchorage position, and crossed the fairway ahead of the MSC Chitra heading generally southbound and turning to port.

“For reasons not known to us, the Khaligia 3 unexpectedly continued turning to port, and came back to cross the fairway again, now heading in a generally northbound direction, and struck the MSC Chitra on the MSC Chitra’s port side while the MSC Chitra was still properly navigating in the main channel.”

-- Contact Peter T. Leach at pleach@joc.com.