7.9 Billion Won Vessel Sets Sail and Immediately 'Uh Uh Uh'... Taiwanese Citizens Alarmed by Tilting 700-Ton Fishing Boat

700-ton fishing vessel tipping to the left during loading
[Captured from Taiwan Public Television Service (PTS). Resale and DB prohibited] / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Eun-young] A 700-ton class fishing vessel in Taiwan tilted and capsized in the sea during the launching ceremony when the ship, built at a shipyard, was floated on the water for the first time. Although part of the ship was submerged in water due to the accident, no casualties have been reported.

According to local Taiwanese media on the 28th (local time), during the launching ceremony held around 11 a.m. the previous day, the Seongpan 188 (BI2678), built at the Sanyang Shipyard (SYSBC) in southern Kaohsiung (高雄), lost its balance and capsized to the left, causing it to sink.

Shortly after the shipyard staff launched the vessel into the sea, the hull lost its center of gravity and tilted, with part of it submerged. Many citizens watching the scene at the time could not hide their surprise, exclaiming "Uh uh uh".

Fortunately, the Kaohsiung Harbor Police, who were on standby for the launching ceremony security, immediately dispatched to the scene upon receiving the report. Using four tugboats, they towed the ship back to the shipyard pier within an hour, confirming that there were no casualties.

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) Maritime and Port Bureau stated that the accident vessel is a CT7-class offshore tuna fishing boat weighing between 500 and 1,000 tons, construction of which began early last year, and it is currently under repair due to the accident during the launching ceremony.

Four tugboats towing a drifting 700-ton fishing vessel
[Captured from Taiwan TVBS. Resale and DB prohibited] / Photo by Yonhap News

However, this ship, which was built with an investment of 200 million Taiwan dollars (approximately 7.9 billion Korean won), will face delays in its planned voyage scheduled for April due to this accident. Industry insiders speculate that the issue may be related to the ballast tanks (tanks holding ballast water) that help maintain the ship's balance, rather than other factors.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.