#IRISH CARGOSHIP - A brand new Irish flagged cargoship, Huelin Dispatch (2012/2,545grt) while on its maiden voyage struck a rock off Alderney, one of the Channel Islands, last Friday, writes Jehan Ashmore.

The Dutch built 89m newbuild registered in Dundalk, was making her inaugural round trip cargo service from Southampton and was scheduled firstly to arrive in Jersey followed by a call to Guernsey.

According to the BBC News the £8.8m newbuild ran aground having contacted an isolated rock one and a half miles south-west of Alderney and where the captain of the vessel issued a distress call.

A lifeboat came to the scene within 15 minutes and all eight crew of the stricken cargoship were reported safe, though water was found coming in at the stern of the vessel. The leak was contained and the vessel was floated off the rock.

Huelin Dispatch then proceeded under her own power and she is currently in dry dock in Falmouth. Her Jersey based owners Huelin-Renouf Shipping await the findings of the dry dock inspection so to determine its return date.

Since the incident, the company initiated a contingency plan, which has allowed its freight service to resume service.

The newbuild (89m x 12m x 4.4m) was built in Bergum by the Damen Shipyard Group and she is one of the yards 'Combi Freighter' designs, these vessels are capable of carrying 188 TEU containers.