Accidents
On May 24, 2004, the EUKOR operated vessel Hyundai No.105, sailing from South Korea to Germany, collided with a Japanese very large crude carrier (VLCC) close to Singapore Sentosa island in the Malacca Strait, one of the world's busiest sea passages. As a result the Hyundai No.105 sank with a total loss of over 3,000 brand new Hyundai/Kia cars and an additional 1,200 used Japanese cars stowed on board. The crew was rescued but the ship could not be salvaged.[8]
On January 6, 2010, the British flagged mv Asian Glory, carrying about 2,400 cars, most of them new Hyundai and Kia models, was sailing from South Korea to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia when it was captured by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden.[9] Asian Glory had a crew of 25, including 8 Bulgarians and 5 Indians, who were finally released in June 2010 following a ransom payment of an undisclosed amount that intelligence reports indicated was close to the $15 million that the pirates were demanding; allegedly, an amount similar to the ship's hull insurance cost and the value of the cargo on board.[10]
On April 19, 2014, a fire started on mv Asian Empire off the coast of Japan, when the vessel was en route from Ulsan to Balboa, Panama. All 24 members of the crew had to be evacuated.[11] A second fire broke out hours later; the reasons were investigated but remained unclear. Two salvage tugs had to be hired to tow the vessel to China for dry docking.
In 2016, Brazilian regulators raised a similar claim and required EUKOR to pay 15.9 million reais.[12] In 2017, a further suit was brought by the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission for price fixing and conspiracy.[13]
On February 21, 2017, the mv Morning Composer was hijacked by Libyan pirates off the coast of Misurata. The vessel was carrying 3,500 Korean brand new cars and 1,500 used vehicles.[14] The crew of 12 Filipinos, 10 Bulgarians and 2 Ukrainians were unharmed and freed to restart the journey briefly after the Libyan military intervened on 22nd early morning.[15]
On 28 May 2019, while alongside Ulsan port, a sudden fire broke out on a car deck of the EUKOR operated mv Platinum Ray. The immediate action of the crew and fire brigades could contain the fire and extinguish it within five hours, limiting the damage to only 69 cars of the over 2,000 stowed on board.[16]
