RINA confirms Kristal class status

Italian classification society RINA says the 31,351 dwt tanker Kristal, which sank about 68 miles North of La Corunna off northern Spain in heavy weather yesterday, was fully in class and had no requirements outstanding. It was RINA class and ISM-certified by DNV. The Kristal was on passage from India to Amsterdam with a cargo of about 28,000 tons of molasses. The vessel was built in Italy in 1974 by the shipyard Cantiere Navale Breda Spa. under RINA surveillance. The Kristal was registered in Malta and owned by Escort Shipping Ltd. c/o IC Shipping Monte Carlo. Nicola Squassafichi, CEO of RINA, says, "We deeply regret the loss of lives and sinking of this vessel. We have offered full co-operation to Maltese and Spanish authorities and we are ready to provide all the information we have on the history of the vessel to them to establish what caused it to sink." This vessel was built and maintained to RINA class since 1974 and embraced within the IACS Enhanced Survey Program (ESP). The last Classification Special Survey was carried out in 1997. Its intermediate ESP survey was carried out in April 2000. That survey showed the vessel to be fully in class and no requirements were placed. The Kristal was expected in Amsterdam to carry out the Annual Survey scheduled in March this year. The latest surveys were carried out in October 2000 for the in-water class survey and in January 2001 for an occasional auxiliary boiler survey. The most recent Port State inspections have not shown up any structure-related deficiencies. Squassafichi says, "So far there is no indication of what might have been the cause of the loss. That so many of the crew were saved is down to the skill and courage of the Spanish rescue authorities, as the weather was so severe at the time."