A coordinated overnight operation has freed the container vessel MV CNC Uranus after it became stranded in the Karnaphuli River navigation channel at Chattogram Port. On Monday, seven tugboats moved the vessel safely to the port’s outer B Anchorage. Chattogram Port Authority Secretary Syed Refayet Hamim confirmed the successful recovery on Tuesday afternoon, saying port operations and vessel movements were normal after the ship was anchored safely.

Port sources said the 170-metre, Malta-flagged vessel, built in 2017, became stranded at about 2pm Monday while entering the Karnaphuli channel because of a mechanical fault. Its steering failed, causing it to strike red buoy number 2 and crash into a retaining wall near the river mouth. The vessel had arrived from China’s Shikou port and had a draft of 9.50 metres.

The ship carried 1,282 TEUs of containers and 24 sailors, including its master. APL (Bangladesh) was its local agent. The recovery began immediately under the port authority’s leadership with support from the Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Coast Guard. Four port tugboats, one Navy tugboat, one Coast Guard tugboat and one tunnel tugboat took part.