GPO Heavylift completed a heavy marine transport operation for the damaged bulk carrier Glengyle, using its semi-submersible heavy transport vessel GPO Sapphire. The project involved loading Glengyle at Vung Tau, Vietnam, and discharging the vessel at Zhoushan, China. Following discharge, Glengyle was scheduled for repairs.
The transport followed a collision on 25 April 2025 on Vietnam’s Long Tau River involving Glengyle (23,269 gt, built 2015) and the Panama-flagged vessel KMTC Surabaya (28,336 gt, built 2008).
During the collision, the bow of KMTC Surabaya struck the port side of Glengyle. As a result, Glengyle sustained damage, including detached hull plating and damage to its aft cargo hold.
The Long Tau River is one of the key waterways linking the ports of Ho Chi Minh City. Parts of the route are narrow and highly curved, requiring vessels to maintain appropriate speed, execute precise manoeuvring, and comply strictly with navigational rules. The area is subject to compulsory pilotage, and a pilot was onboard at the time of the accident.
The successful loading, ocean transport, and discharge of Glengyle by GPO Sapphire underscore the operator’s capability in executing complex heavy marine transport projects involving damaged tonnage.
