A Greek-owned merchant ship, the 'Anikitos', has been stranded after being blown aground by Cyclone Megan in northern Australia.
The 55,700-deadweight-tonne bulker struck South32's loading wharf on remote Groote Eylandt in the Northern Territory on Monday. The incident occurred as Cyclone Megan battered the region with winds exceeding 100 kilometres per hour.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) reported that the Greek-flagged 'Anikitos' was docked at the Alyangula wharf when the cyclone struck. The vessel was carrying a significant cargo, including over 41,000 tonnes of manganese ore, fuel oil, and diesel.
AMSA is coordinating with the ship's owners and insurers to arrange tugboats to assist in moving the 'Anikitos' from the wharf to a secure anchorage.
South32, the owner of the loading wharf, has temporarily suspended operations at its Groote Eylandt Mining Company (GEMCO) due to cyclone damage. Initial assessments indicate structural damage to the wharf, but the full extent of the disruption to production remains unclear.
GEMCO is a major global producer of manganese ore, co-owned by South32 and Anglo American.
Cyclone Megan has also caused disruptions at other mining facilities. Trading giant Glencore reportedly evacuated workers from their Bing Bong loading facility on the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Authorities are assessing the full impact of the cyclone and working to restore normal operations across the affected regions.
(Source: TradeWinds)
