MHKL 205

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Course/Position

Latest news

barge broke lose in strong winds and allided with café building

On Jan 14, 2025. the 'MHKL 205' lost the unloaded barge 'MArine Power 3036' it was towing, on the Mahakam River amid severe weather, en route to Muara Pahu. It arrived under the Mahakam Bridge at 12:20 p.m. WITA to await the bridge opening for passage upstream. At 1 p.m. the bridge was opened for passage. The 'MHKL 205' was fourth in line, following the tugb 'Danny 116'. However, before the transit began, strong winds with speeds of 20–25 knots accompanied by heavy rain struck the area, forcing the guidance team to temporarily halt the passage process. The 'Marine Power 3036' was caught by the strong wind, causing its bow to drift towards the riverbank. The 'MHKL 205' attempted to hold the barge, but the towing line snapped. The captain immediately contacted Samarinda's guidance authority via VHF radio and requested assistance from the tug 'Herlin' to secure the barge. Due to the strong outgoing current and high winds, the bow of the barge allided with a café building in the Samarinda Seberang area. Limited visibility caused by the heavy rain further complicated the efforts to regain control. With assistance from the 'Herlin', the barge was successfully pulled back to the middle of the river and was secured on the opposite side at 2:45 p.m. The Samarinda Water and Air Police (POLAIRUD) started investigating the incident, while details of the damage to the café building were pending further inspection at the site. Report with photo: https://hubla.dephub.go.id/Indonesianmaritimesafetyinformation/page/news/read/24706/cuaca-buruk-sebabkan-tali-towing-putus-dan-tongkang-tabrak-kafe-di-sungai-mahakam-bad-weather-causes-towing-line-to-break-and-barge-collides-with-cafe-on-mahakam-river-1