MV Princess of the Orient
![]() Princess of the Orient was the former Sun Flower 11, while she is still in Japan
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History | |
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Name |
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Owner |
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Operator |
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Port of registry | |
Route | Osaka – Kagoshima |
Builder | Shin Kurushima Dockyard Co. Ltd., Onishi Plant, Japan |
Cost | ¥ 6 Billion |
Laid down | 4 December 1973 |
Launched | 23 September 1974 |
Completed | 9 September 1974 |
In service | 1 October 1974 |
Out of service | March 1993 |
Identification | IMO number: 7373561 |
Fate | Sold to Sulpicio Lines |
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Name | MV Princess of the Orient |
Owner | Sulpicio Lines |
Operator | Sulpicio Lines |
Port of registry | Cebu City, Philippines |
Route | Manila – Cebu City |
Maiden voyage | June 1993 |
Out of service | 18 September 1998 |
Fate | Foundered and sank during the onslaught of Typhoon Vicki on September 18, 1998. |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | ROPAX Cruiseferry |
Tonnage | 13,935 GT |
Length | 195.81 m |
Beam | 24.0 m |
Depth | 8.6m |
Installed power | Kawasaki MAN V9V52/55 |
Propulsion | Dual propellers |
Speed | 26.87 knots (Max) |
Capacity | 3,994 passengers and crew, 84 trucks, 191 cars (max) |
The MV Princess of the Orient was a passenger ferry owned by Sulpicio Lines that sank off Fortune Island, near the provinces of Cavite and Batangas in the island of Luzon, The Philippines on September 18, 1998. The ship was originally built in Japan as Sun Flower 11 (Japanese: さんふらわあ11, romanized: Sanfurawā 11) in 1974 where she served as a cruise ferry before being sold to Sulpicio Lines in 1993.[1]
Background[]
The ship was built in 1973 by Shin Kurushima Dockyard as one of the five ships in the Sun Flower series for Nippon Kosoku Ferry Co., Ltd. (Japanese: 日本高速フェリー, romanized: Nippon Kosoku Ferī) in Japan and was named as the Sun Flower 11 (Japanese: さんふらわあ11, romanized: Sanfurawā 11). The vessel was designed differently from the other ships of the fleet as it resembles a cruise ship of its era such as the installation of two funnels and a rounded superstructure. It entered service on the Osaka-Kagoshima route on October 1, 1974. In November 1990, the ship was transferred to the Blue Highway Line and it was renamed Sun Flower Satsuma (Japanese: さんふらわあ さつま, romanized: Sanfurawā Satsuma). She had a weight of 13,935 gross tons[2][3] and was 195.7 meters long. She had a full capacity of 3,995 passengers and crew.
After 19 years of service in Japan, She was eventually sold to Sulpicio Lines in 1993. Because of her sheer size, length, and beauty, she became the flagship of the whole Sulpicio Lines fleet. As the flagship vessel, she was refitted to Sulpicio-specific standards such as additional cargo ramp on the starboard bow and extension of passenger decks. At that time, she was the largest and the most luxurious Philippine-based passenger ferry to enter service until the arrival of MV Princess of the Stars and she is also the only Philippine-based ferry at that time to be equipped with automatic stabilizers. However, it remained un-operational while in service under Sulpicio Lines due to a fire while the ship is under drydock maintenance. Prior to her sinking, she has a list to her port side, a sign which was inconsequential until 5 years later.[4]
Sinking[]
On September 18, 1998 around almost 10 PM, the Princess of the Orient sailed from Manila to Cebu City during the onslaught of typhoon Vicki. Initially, a list of three degrees was observed at the portside, which had continuously increased. At the same, time, winds and waves were hitting the ship on its starboard side. The waves were at least seven to eight meters in height and the wind velocity was 25 knots. In addition, due to the large swells and excessive movement, the solid and liquid cargo below the decks shifted it's weight to port, contributing to the tilted position of the ship. The captain soon ordered to reduce the speed of the ship to 14 knots, while also ordering to put ballast water to the starboard-heeling tank, hoping to stop the continuous listing of the ship. However this action was in vain, as the vessel was already listing between 15 to 20 degrees to her portside.
In spite of being in a dangerous situation, the captain performed various starboard maneuvers, which added to the ship’s tilting. As the ship was already inclined to an angle of 15 degrees along with the instantaneous movement of the ship, the cargoes below deck completely shifted it's position and weight towards portside. Two hours after leaving Manila harbor, the ferry tilted 30 to 45 degrees to its port side, making it impossible to recover. The ship foundered at 12:55 a.m. near Fortune Island and sank. Of the 388 passengers on board, 150 were killed. Either being trapped inside the ferry or being swept away by the waves, which they eventually drowned. The remaining survivors were floating at sea for more than 12 hours before rescuers were able to reach them.[5]
Wreck[]
The wreck is resting on her Port side at 122 meters (400 ft) below sea level near Fortune Island.[6] In the early 2000s, John Bennett and Ron Loos made the first scuba dives to the wreck site. It appeared probable that the cause of the sinking was due to the cargo on the ship not being lashed properly. The rough seas from Typhoon Vicki caused the cargo of the ship to shift, thus causing the ship to tilt to one side, resulting in the sinking.[7]
In 2018 and 2019, a mixed gas 5-man international rebreather team captured images of the wreck and explored it, at depths up to 128m.[8]
Notes and references[]
- ^ Casualties | 10/12/19 (2019-12-10). "Princess of the Orient: Erroneous maneuvering leads to deadly sinking". SAFETY4SEA. Retrieved 2021-01-22.
- ^ Sulpicio Lines, Inc. v. Napoleone Sesanta et al., G.R. No. 172682, p. 9. Republic of the Philippines Supreme Court, July 27, 2016.
- ^ Her gross tonnage when measured for the International Maritime Organization was 13,614. Vessel details for Princess of the Orient, IMO 7373561.
- ^ Casualties | 10/12/19 (2019-12-10). "Princess of the Orient: Erroneous maneuvering leads to deadly sinking". SAFETY4SEA. Retrieved 2021-01-22.
- ^ "Strings of Maritime Tragedies"[permanent dead link]
- ^ Stieglitz, Guy (September 2003). "25 minutes at 122m". Sport Diver Magazine (UK).
- ^ Casualties | 10/12/19 (2019-12-10). "Princess of the Orient: Erroneous maneuvering leads to deadly sinking". SAFETY4SEA. Retrieved 2021-01-22.
- ^ Casualties | 10/12/19 (2019-12-10). "Princess of the Orient: Erroneous maneuvering leads to deadly sinking". SAFETY4SEA. Retrieved 2021-01-22.
External links[]
- Shipwrecks in the Pacific Ocean
- Ferries of the Philippines
- Maritime incidents in the Philippines
- Maritime incidents in 1998
- 1998 in the Philippines
- 1974 ships
- Ferry stubs