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Crew evacuated from Polaris Shipping VLOC damaged off Brazil

A very large ore carrier (VLOC) Stellar Banner operated by Polaris Shipping is listing badly off the northern Brazilian state of Maranhao.

Marcus Hand, Editor

February 27, 2020

1 Min Read
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The 2016 built, 300,660 dwt VLOC Stellar Banner suffered damage to its bow after leaving port in the northern Brazilian state of Maranhao on Monday according to charterer Vale.

Vale said that the crew of 20 had been evacuated from the vessel which 100 km off the Brazilian coast.

"As port operator, Vale is offering technical-operational support, sending tug boats, and collaborating with maritime authorities," the company said.

According to reports the port authority in Maranhao said the ship is stranded with its iron ore cargo. Photos on social media showed the vessel apparently grounded with a heavy list.

The vessel owned by Polaris Shipping in South Korea was bound for the Chinese city of Qingdao with 275,000 tonnes of iron ore, according to Refinitiv data.

It is not the first casualty involved a Polaris Shipping owned VLOC chartered to Vale, the converted Stellar Daisy sank on 31 March 2017 with the loss of 22 lives.

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About the Author

Marcus Hand

Editor

Marcus Hand is the editor of Seatrade Maritime News and a dedicated maritime journalist with over two decades of experience covering the shipping industry in Asia.

Marcus is also an experienced industry commentator and has chaired many conferences and round tables. Before joining Seatrade at the beginning of 2010, Marcus worked for the shipping industry journal Lloyd's List for a decade and before that the Singapore Business Times covering shipping and aviation.

In November 2022, Marcus was announced as a member of the Board of Advisors to the Singapore Journal of Maritime Talent and Technology (SJMTT) to help bring together thought leadership around the key areas of talent and technology.

Marcus is the founder of the Seatrade Maritime Podcast that delivers commentary, opinions and conversations on shipping's most important topics.

Conferences & Webinars

Marcus Hand regularly moderates at international maritime events. Below you’ll find a list of selected past conferences and webinars.

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