Photo: AMSA

An initial record from Australian maritime private investigators right into the loss of containers from the APL England states that the ship experienced hefty rolling and also shed power to its major engine prior to team found that containers had actually overdone it.

The ATSB initial examination record information that the container ship was rolling and also pitching greatly in harsh seas and also high winds when it shed 50 containers regarding 46 maritime miles south-east of Sydney on 24 May 2020.

The record consists of truths connected to the series of occasions leading up the event, yet does not consist of any type of verdicts or referrals.

The record reveals that the Bureau of Meteorology provided routine projections concerning a complicated reduced stress system establishing off the Australia’s south-east shore, with wind pressure wind cautions, as the APL England took a trip down the eastern shore of nation.

“By 0600 on Sunday 24 May, while maintaining a southerly course and a speed of about 7 knots, the ship was pitching and periodically rolling in high seas and gale force winds,” claimed ATSB Chief Commissioner Greg Hood.

“Shortly after, at 0610, the ship experienced a series of very heavy rolls, to about 25° either side of upright. On the bridge, with many items moving and falling to the deck and the crew holding on to maintain their footing, steering system and engine room alarms sounded, and then the main engine shut down due to a loss of oil pressure,” Hood claimed.

The record information that the team rebooted the engine, through which time the ship had actually counted on port, beam of light on the seas, while remaining to roll greatly. The ship gradually got rate, and also was transformed easterly and afterwards southerly, right into the weather condition, prior to the team after that made a decision to head north, with the weather condition, the ATSB claimed.

It was not till the following early morning that the ship’s primary policeman initially saw the dropped heaps of containers.

The examination has actually developed that 50 containers were shed over the top from both onward and also aft bays. One of the shed containers consisted of unsafe items in the kind of completely dry powder fire extinguishers, while 23 containers were vacant. Another 63 containers were harmed yet continued to be aboard.

The ship cruised to the Port of Brisbane under its very own power where ATSB private investigators boarded the vessel to check the harmed container heaps, evaluate the container lashing devices, download and install the vessel information recorder and also video clip recording system, and also meeting the team.

“Generally, the ship’s lashing equipment appeared in good condition. However, many of the ship fittings including lashing eyes, lashing bridges and deck structures were found to be heavily corroded and wasted,” Hood claimed.

“In addition, ATSB examination of the container stowage arrangement showed that the use of ‘high cube’ (2.9m/9ft 6in high) as opposed to standard height (2.6m/8ft 6in) containers in the ship’s aft-most container bay, bay 62, affected the security of the stow above the container cell guides.  However, the loading computer’s lashing and forces checks did not show any conflicts for this arrangement,” the ATSB claimed in a news release introducing the first record.

A last record will certainly be launched at the verdict of the examination and also will certainly information consist of any type of safety and security searchings for or evaluation.

“The on-going investigation will review and analyse several areas of interest including the ship’s container stow and lashing arrangement; the maintenance regimes for the ship’s deck and engine room; the ship’s service and inspection history; the ship’s stability condition; weather conditions and information provided to crew; and the actions of the ship’s crew,” Hood claimed.

“However, should a critical safety issue be identified during the investigation, the ATSB will immediately notify relevant parties so appropriate and timely safety action can be taken,” he included.

Read the initial record MO-2020-002: Loss of containers overboard involving APL England, 46 NM south-east of Sydney, New South Wales, on 24 May 2020