Coast Guard Stabilises Flooding Chemical Tanker Off Paradip

The Indian Coast Guard brought a stricken chemical tanker under control after it reported main engine failure and rapid flooding off the Odisha coast, averting what could have become a major maritime incident.

The vessel, the Belize-flagged MT Seagull 9, was about 37 nautical miles east-south-east of Paradip when it sent out an urgent distress call at roughly 0730 hrs on September 27, 2026. The ship was carrying 9,000 metric tonnes of palm oil and had 23 crew members on board. Flooding in a ballast tank had left it dangerously tilted.

ICGS Vishwast was deployed to the scene, and a specialist Coast Guard damage-control team boarded the unstable tanker to begin emergency repairs. The team used submersible de-flooding pumps, stopped the leakage, blanked two damaged seawater pipelines and contained a third fractured line, removing the risk of the vessel capsizing.

To strengthen the response, the Coast Guard diverted a Pollution Control Vessel and an additional Offshore Patrol Vessel, while a Dornier aircraft flew from Bhubaneswar to carry out real-time aerial surveillance.

A minor palm-oil sheen spotted near the ship on September 27 was found to have fully dissipated during follow-up aerial sorties the next day. Pollution-response protocols remain in force to protect the marine environment.

Once the tanker was stabilised, the Paradip Port Authority tug Dolphin took it under tow towards the anchorage area off Paradip. ICGS Vishwast and the other specialised assets remain on scene, keeping an active watch and providing continued operational support.