Coordinated maritime response saves lives as Sealloyd Arc sinks, prompting oil spill and container recovery efforts
The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) successfully rescued all 16 crew members from the Panama-flagged general cargo vessel Sealloyd Arc after it sank off Phuket over the weekend. The Bangladeshi nationals were brought ashore uninjured following a rapid and coordinated response to the vessel’s distress signal.
Sealloyd Arc, measuring 115 metres in length with a gross tonnage of 4,339 and deadweight of 6,479 tonnes, was en route from Port Klang in Malaysia to Chattogram in Bangladesh. The ship was carrying 297 containers, including 14 declared hazardous materials, when it issued a distress call at approximately 15:20 local time on February 7.
The crew reported rapid water ingress and a severe list near Ko Kaeo Yai, west of Promthep Cape, about three nautical miles offshore from Laem Phromthep.
Vice Admiral Weerudom Muangjeen, Commander of the Third Naval Area Command and Director of Region 3 Maritime Enforcement Command Centre (Thai-MECC), immediately ordered assistance. The navy deployed high-speed patrol boats, coordinating with local vessels, including a fishing boat and the Naraintorn Khai Muk Phuket Centre.
A local fishing boat recovered eight crew members, while a Phuket Provincial Administration patrol boat retrieved the remaining eight, including the captain. Survivors were transferred to a government vessel and taken safely to Chalong Bay Pier, with no injuries reported.
The RTN continued to monitor Sealloyd Arc, which sank at approximately 21:00 local time. Some containers sank with the vessel, while over 200 floated free, scattered across the sea. An oil sheen developed from roughly 98 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and 32 tonnes of marine diesel onboard, stretching about 4.5 miles (7.2 km) long and one mile (1.6 km) wide. As of Tuesday, no oil had reached Phuket’s coastline.
Muangjeen confirmed that the navy was working closely with relevant agencies to plan the salvage of the vessel. Thai-MECC established a situation command centre under the National Maritime Interests Protection Act, dividing operations between oil-spill containment and floating container recovery.
Challenges in the ongoing response include limited visibility, equipment shortages, and a delayed crane barge. A joint operational plan meeting took place on February 9 at Third Naval Area Command Headquarters in Laem Panwa, while patrol boats and reconnaissance aircraft continue active surveillance.