On 7th July, Shiling containership departs New Zeland after being detained for three months due to numerous breakdowns that raised heightened safety concerns.
Maritime New Zealand announced that the troubled boxship was cleared to depart for Singapore after undergoing repairs and trials designed to ensure it would not break down yet again.
As explained, over the last three months, the Shiling broke down twice in and around New Zealand waters. In the first incident in April, the vessel experienced engine failure that saw it drift perilously close to a shallow Wellington Harbor shoal.
The Shiling experienced an engine failure again on May 12 this time in heavy seas after transiting the Cook Strait. With the ship rolling heavily, the captain issued a May Day call reporting that the crew of 24 were preparing to abandon ship, but later the seas calmed and the May Day was rescinded.
An ocean-going tug working on assignment to the oil and gas industry was able to rescue the ship and bring it into sheltered waters in Tasman Bay on May 13. This led to a tense week before the weather permitted the tow to bring the ship back to Wellington for further repairs.
After more than another month of detention, while repairs were underway, over the last week and a half, the Shiling has undertaken a range of trials to show it could satisfy the requirements to be released from its detention.
