While manoeuvring that evening through the dark, his 30m fishing boat was hit by a large ocean freighter. While the heavy impact ruined most of the top of his boat, fortunately the strong hull successfully protected him and his crew. The Minlong Yu was made by boat manufacturer Fujian Hongye, using resins and gelcoats from Aliancys. Already in 2003 Fujian Hongye manufactured the Minlong Yu (“Dragon Fishing Boat”), using Palatal P61TV-956KR and Palatal A400TV-957 resins from Aliancys, as well as Neogel 8373 gelcoat series. This type of vessel is predominantly used for offshore aquaculture and has a dedicated design to accommodate fishing, fish cleaning and cold storage functions. This ship is fast and very light, and consequently has very low fuel consumption. While the ship was intensively used over a 12-year period, it required only minimal maintenance. Some of the maintenance activities included cleaning of the outer surface of the hull from fouling and keeping the engines in top condition. In spite of being in continuous contact with sea water, the Minlong Yu remained in good shape and maintained great mechanical integrity. This was put to test unexpectedly, when the back-side of the ship collided with the 180m steel ocean freighter. While part of the cabin was destroyed, the hull was perfectly intact and protected all on board. After the accident the Minlong Yu was repaired and since then again, it has been in operation successfully. “The high mechanical strength of this boat clearly avoided major injuries of the crew and myself,” commented captain Lin Xiao Dong. “I know my job has many dangers. But after having been through this accident in good shape, I feel very comfortable at sea with such a reliable vessel.” www.aliancys.com
