View source for Engineering:BBC China

{|{{Infobox ship begin |display title=ital}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image               =
| Ship caption             = }}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header              =
| Ship name                = * ''Beluga Superstition'' (2001)
* ''BBC China'' (2002–2004)
| Ship owner               = 
| Ship operator            =
| Ship registry            = {{flagicon|Antigua & Barbuda}} Antigua & Barbuda
| Ship route               =
| Ship ordered             =
| Ship builder             = Qingshan Shipyard, [[Place:Wuhan|Wuhan]], China
| Ship original cost       =
| Ship yard number         = 
| Ship way number          =
| Ship laid down           = 28 February 2000
| Ship launched            = 4 November 2000
| Ship completed           = 4 July 2001
| Ship christened          =
| Ship acquired            =
| Ship maiden voyage       =
| Ship in service          =
| Ship out of service      =
| Ship identification      = {{IMO Number|9219082}}
| Ship fate                = Ran aground off South African coast on 16 October 2004
| Ship status              =
| Ship notes               = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header              =
| Header caption           =
| Ship type               = [[Engineering:Cargo ship|Cargo ship]]
| Ship tonnage             = * {{GT|5,548}}
* {{DWT|6500}}
| Ship length              = * {{cvt|122.2|m|ftin}} ([[Engineering:Length overall|oa]])
* {{cvt|117.3|m|ftin}} ([[Engineering:Length between perpendiculars|pp]])
| Ship beam                =  {{cvt|18.5|m|ftin}}
| Ship height              =
| Ship draught             =
| Ship draft               =
| Ship depth               =
| Ship power               =
| Ship propulsion          = Diesel engine, one [[Engineering:Propeller|shaft]]
| Ship speed               = {{convert|16.5|kn|lk=in}}
| Ship capacity            =
| Ship crew                =
| Ship notes               = 
}}
|}
[[File:Libya centrifuges 2003 (at_Y12).jpg|thumb|Gas centrifuges for uranium enrichment recovered from ''BBC China'' in Italy, en route to Libya in 2003]]

'''MV ''BBC China''''' was a {{GT|5,548}} general cargo vessel constructed in China that was completed in 2000. The ship was initially named '''''Beluga Superstition''''', being renamed in 2002. The vessel gained notoriety after it was caught carrying [[Physics:Gas centrifuge|gas centrifuge]]s for [[Chemistry:Uranium|uranium]] enrichment to Libya in 2003. In 2004, the vessel ran aground off the coast of South Africa. The wreck was subsequently demolished with explosives.

==Description==
''BBC China'' was a [[Engineering:Cargo ship|cargo ship]] measured at {{GT|5,548|disp=long}} and {{DWT|6500|disp=long}}. The vessel was {{convert|122.2|m|ftin}} [[Engineering:Length overall|long overall]] and {{cvt|117.3|m|ftin}} [[Engineering:Length between perpendiculars|between perpendiculars]] with a [[Engineering:Beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{cvt|18.5|m|ftin}}. The ship was powered by a diesel engine turning one [[Engineering:Propeller|shaft]]. ''BBC China'' had a maximum speed of {{convert|16.5|kn|lk=in}}.<ref name=miramar>{{csr|register=MSI|id=9219082|shipname=Beluga Superstition|accessdate=28 February 2020}}</ref>

==Construction and career==
The cargo ship's [[Engineering:Keel|keel]] was [[Engineering:Keel laying|laid down]] at Qingshan Shipyard in [[Place:Wuhan|Wuhan]], China on 28 February 2000. While under construction the ship was named ''Beluga Superstition''. The vessel was [[Engineering:Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 4 November 2000 and was completed on 4 July 2001.<ref name=miramar/> On 1 October 2002, the ship was renamed ''BBC China''. ''BBC China'' was operated by Beluga Shipping GMBH of [[Place:Bremen|Bremen]], Germany, and [[Finance:Flag of convenience|flagged]] in Antigua & Barbuda.<ref name=equasis>{{csr|register=E|id=9219082|shipname=BBC China|accessdate=28 February 2020}}</ref> 

In October 2003 the ship was diverted to Italy while carrying [[Physics:Gas centrifuge|gas centrifuge]]s for [[Chemistry:Uranium|uranium]] enrichment from Dubai, United Arab Emirates to Libya.<ref name=wright>{{Cite web |title=Ship Incident May Have Swayed Libya |first=Robin |last=Wright |journal=Washington Post |date=1 January 2004 |pages=A18 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2004/01/01/ship-incident-may-have-swayed-libya/69244c5f-c895-4ec5-87bc-e17d34bffbe8/ |access-date=28 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2005_07-08/Interdiction_Misrepresented |title=Key U.S. Interdiction Initiative Claim Misrepresented |work=Arms Control Association |access-date=28 February 2020}}</ref> With the aid of the German shipping company and the German government, the vessel was redirected to Italy where US government personnel boarded the vessel and discovered the centrifuges, which had not been on the vessel's manifest.<ref name=wright/>

''BBC China'', while sailing from Durban, South Africa to Spain, ran aground near Port Grosvenor at {{coord|31.3851960|S|29.9076156|E|name=BBC China|display=title,inline}} on 16 October 2004.<ref name=miramar/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/oct2004/2004-10-29-01.html |title=Weather Pounds Shipwreck Against South Africa's Wild Coast |website=ens.newswire.com |date=29 October 2004 |access-date=28 February 2020}}</ref> The vessel was declared constructive total loss and subsequently demolished with explosives.<ref>{{Cite web|title='BBC China' |url=http://www.smit.com/sitefactor/page.asp?pageid=682 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120601135312/http://www.smit.com/sitefactor/page.asp?pageid=682 |archivedate=1 June 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=B.B.C. China Salvage |url=http://www.demex.us/BBCChinaPage/BBCChinaPage.htm |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080413085007/http://www.demex.us/BBCChinaPage/BBCChinaPage.htm |archivedate=13 April 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Cargo ship aground off Wild Coast |date=17 October 2004 |work=Ports & Ships |url=http://ports.co.za/news/article_2004_10_17_2444.html }}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:BBC China}}

{{Sourceattribution|BBC China|1}}
 [https://resolvemarine.com/ Resolve Marine]