Cargo ship stranded off Kakinada coast as Cyclone Arnab crosses Andhra shore

A Singapore-bound bulk carrier has been reported stranded in the sea off the Kakinada coast in Andhra Pradesh, near the Ravva oilfield, with an engine failure suspected to be the cause. The vessel, Sigma Pearl, sails under the flag of the Marshall Islands.

According to vessel tracking data, the ship's last port of call was Visakhapatnam, from where it departed at about 12.17 a.m. on October 27 — roughly the time Cyclone Arnab was approaching Yanam before making landfall.

The MarineTraffic portal, which tracks ship movements worldwide, listed the status of Sigma Pearl as “Vessel is out of range”. Its route map showed that the vessel's last recorded movement was along its intended route.

The District Information and Public Relations office of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district confirmed on Wednesday that District Collector R. Mahesh Kumar had received a communication about the cargo ship reportedly stranded near Gadimoga on Tuesday. However, district officials said they were yet to ascertain the number of crew members on board and the vessel's current condition.

The Ravva oilfield, off the coast of the Konaseema district, is among the older offshore oil and gas fields in the Krishna-Godavari basin and has associated offshore infrastructure in the area. Shipping traffic in these waters is expected to follow weather advisories issued by port authorities and maritime agencies when a cyclone approaches the coast.

Marine engineers note that engine failure is among the more common causes of vessels losing propulsion at sea, and that such breakdowns become significantly harder to manage in rough weather. Standard procedure in such situations involves the ship's crew attempting repairs while the vessel's position is monitored, and maritime authorities assessing whether assistance is required.

In Indian waters, the Indian Coast Guard is the agency responsible for coordinating search and rescue at sea, while the Directorate General of Shipping oversees vessel safety and regulatory matters. Port authorities at Visakhapatnam and Kakinada routinely issue advisories to ships during cyclonic conditions, asking vessels to move to safer waters or remain in port until conditions improve.

Officials have not, so far, indicated that the crew is in distress, and no damage or pollution has been reported. Independent confirmation of the vessel's position and condition was not immediately available, as tracking data showed the ship beyond the range of shore-based receivers.

The incident highlights the vulnerability of commercial shipping along India's eastern coast during the October–December cyclone season, when the Bay of Bengal frequently generates severe weather systems. Vessels transiting the Andhra Pradesh coast during such periods are advised to maintain contact with port control and to report any loss of propulsion promptly.

Further details — including the number of people on board, the nature of the mechanical problem and whether a tug or rescue vessel has been dispatched — are awaited. This report will be updated as official information becomes available.