Portuguese 
Singapore-flagged ship was en route from Malaysia to Kolkata when it veered off course near Diamond Harbour; 22 crew members were unharmed, there was no pollution, and the cause of the accident will still be investigated.
A container ship measuring approximately 148 meters long struck the banks of the Hooghly River in India and ran aground after failing to navigate a turn normally. The incident involving the MV Nawata Bhum occurred on August 12, 2026, near Diamond Harbour in West Bengal.
According to the newspaper AsiaOne, images released after the accident show the ship loaded with containers heading toward the bank while its horn is repeatedly sounded.
Shortly after, the bow struck the embankment and became stuck. Despite the size of the vessel and the proximity to an area used by ferries, there were no reported injuries.
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Nawata Bhum was headed from Malaysia to one of Kolkata’s main ports
The Nawata Bhum departed from Port Klang, Malaysia, on August 3, heading for Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata, formerly known as Kolkata Port.
According to AsiaOne, which consulted maritime tracking data, the ship made a right turn north of Latpatia around 10:26 AM on August 12, India time. For approximately the next 40 minutes, it continued sailing until it ran aground near Diamond Harbour around 11 AM.
Diamond Harbour is located about 50 kilometers south of Kolkata. The accident occurred while navigating the Hooghly, a river that requires successive directional changes for vessels heading to the port area.
Footage of the moment shows no other vessels directly in front of the Nawata Bhum as it approached the bank. The horn can be heard sounding several times before the impact.
Suspected steering issue still to be investigated
Initial reports indicated a combination of strong currents, turbulent conditions, and a possible failure in the ship’s steering system. The hypothesis is that the vessel may not have been able to properly regain its course after making a turn.
However, the cause has not yet been officially determined.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the maritime authority of the country whose flag the ship flies, informed The Straits Times that it will investigate the incident. Thus, suspicions regarding the steering system should not be considered a definitive cause while the investigation is ongoing.
According to information published by the newspaper, a local official stated that the captain sounded the horn to alert vessels and people in the area after recognizing issues with maneuverability.
Ship ran aground and tugs were dispatched
After hitting the bank, the bow of the Nawata Bhum remained stuck, necessitating a tugboat operation.
AsiaOne reported, based on vessel tracking, that the ship remained aground near Diamond Harbour until approximately 10:30 PM on August 12, when tugs managed to pull it off the bank. The following morning, it was seen anchored in the area, still accompanied by two support vessels.
On August 13, the MPA confirmed that the container ship had been refloated, was stable, and remained anchored. The authority also reported that there was no indication of pollution caused by the incident.
22 crew members were on board and no one was injured
Despite images of the ship heading towards the shore, the 22 crew members on board were not injured, according to Singapore’s maritime authority. There were also no Singaporean citizens among the crew members.
The most recent update was released on Friday, August 14, by Regional Container Lines (RCL), the company responsible for the operation of the Nawata Bhum.
The company confirmed that the ship was refloated, underwent the necessary inspections and assessments, and resumed its journey and service. RCL also stated that all crew members are safe and that no cargo carried on board was damaged.
Nawata Bhum was built in 2008 and carries over a thousand containers
Official data from the RCL fleet indicates that the Nawata Bhum is registered in Singapore, was built in 2008, and has a designed capacity of 1,108 TEUs, a unit used in maritime transportation to represent twenty-foot equivalent containers.
The vessel has a gross tonnage of 13,853 tons, an indicated speed of 17 knots, and an IMO number of 9365685, an international identification used throughout a ship’s operational life.
With the container ship back in operation, the primary question now is what caused such a vessel to lose its course and move directly towards the shore of the Hooghly.
The answer will depend on the investigation announced by Singapore’s maritime authority.
