Establish a command center to handle the incident of an iron ore ship running aground in Dung Quat waters

(Chinhphu.vn) - This morning, the working delegation of the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Construction worked with the People's Committee of Quang Ngai province on responding to storm No. 13 and handling the incident of the Star Bueno ship running aground in Dung Quat sea area.

Chairman of Quang Ngai Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Hoang Giang reports on response to storm No. 13

Faced with the complicated developments of storm No. 13 (Kalmaegi) which is rapidly approaching the mainland, on the morning of November 6, in Quang Ngai, the Ministry of Construction's working delegation led by Deputy Minister Nguyen Xuan Sang and the Ministry of National Defense's working delegation led by Senior Lieutenant General Pham Truong Son, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, worked with the People's Committee of Quang Ngai province on responding to storm No. 13 and handling the incident of the Star Bueno ship running aground in Dung Quat waters.

Attending the meeting were Major General Hua Van Tuong, Deputy Chief of Staff of Military Region 5, and representatives of relevant agencies and units.

Establish four auxiliary command posts in Cam Thanh, Duc Pho, Van Tuong and Kon Tum

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, storm No. 13 is very strong (level 14, gusts of level 17), moving rapidly in the West-Northwest direction at a speed of about 25 km/h. It is forecasted that by the evening of November 6, the storm center will approach the coastal area of ​​Quang Ngai - Binh Dinh, causing gusts of wind above level 15, waves 6-8m high, rising sea levels and high tides that can cause deep flooding, landslides and flash floods in mountainous areas.

Faced with that situation, Military Region 5 identified this as a high-level emergency situation, requiring forces to promote the spirit of initiative, close coordination, and strictly implement the "4 on-site" motto. The Quang Ngai Provincial Military Command has established 4 auxiliary command posts in Cam Thanh, Duc Pho, Van Tuong and Kon Tum; mobilized more than 1,500 officers and soldiers along with hundreds of motor vehicles, canoes, and rescue boats to coordinate with forces ready to respond. Specialized forces of the Military Region such as the 270th Engineer Brigade, the 575th Information Brigade, and the Logistics and Engineering Department have also been present in the area to support the locality in ensuring on-site communications, medical care, and logistics.

Senior Lieutenant General Pham Truong Son, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, directed the response to storm No. 13 and handling of the Star Bueno incident.

Speaking at the meeting, the leaders of the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of National Defense praised the proactive, urgent and highly responsible spirit of the officers and soldiers of Military Region 5 and the Quang Ngai Provincial Military Command; and emphasized: "The current situation is extremely urgent, the storm is advancing rapidly and is very strong. The forces must absolutely not be subjective, must closely follow the situation, be on duty 24/24 hours, ensure the safety of the lives and property of the people and the State. The army must be a solid support, a leading shock force in all situations".

According to the approved plan, the military forces, in coordination with local authorities, are ready to evacuate nearly 10,000 households in coastal areas and areas at risk of landslides to safety; at the same time, prepare rescue plans, clear roads, and overcome the consequences of the storm.

The Star Bueno ship carrying more than 174,000 tons of iron ore from South Africa to Dung Quat, poses a potential risk of oil spill.

Set up a forward command post to handle the Star Bueno incident

Along with the storm response work, leaders of the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Construction also listened to reports and discussed solutions to handle the incident of the Star Bueno ship carrying more than 174,000 tons of iron ore from South Africa to Dung Quat, which drifted from anchor and ran aground on October 26 due to bad weather. Although it was freed on October 29, inspections showed that some cargo holds were infiltrated with water, posing a potential risk of oil spill.

Faced with that situation, the Vietnam Maritime Administration and Waterways Administration, Quang Ngai Maritime Port Authority coordinated with the Border Guard, the Department of Agriculture and Environment, and the Central Region Oil Spill Response Center to establish a forward command post and synchronously deploy measures to ensure maritime safety and prevent environmental pollution.

Leaders of the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Construction requested ship owners and relevant forces to urgently deploy plans to ensure ship safety and the marine environment, and be prepared for even the worst-case scenario when a strong storm makes landfall.

At the end of the working session, the working delegations highly appreciated the proactive spirit, discipline and responsibility of Military Region 5 and the local authorities. All response plans have been activated, forces, means and logistics are ready to respond, determined to protect the safety of lives and property of the State and the People.

Nhat Anh

Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/lap-so-chi-huy-xu-ly-su-co-tau-cho-quang-sat-mac-can-tai-vung-bien-dung-quat-102251106115610011.htm