CREW COPS BLAME

5th September 2008

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The bauxite carrying Endeavour River ran aground in Gladstone Harbour on December 2 last year.

AN independent investigation into the grounding of the Endeavour River in Gladstone Harbour last year has found the bulk carrier's crew and management principles were to blame.

The ship ran aground at the entrance to Auckland Channel on December 2 last year while attempting a mid-tide berthing at the South Trees Wharf.

It was refloated five days later.

THE Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) report, released this week, found bridge resource management principles were not practised by the bridge team, and that no monitoring of the passage took place in the lead up to the grounding.

On the afternoon in question, the Endeavour River's master was attempting to berth the ship on a flood tide while battling a tail wind.

Even with the help of two tugs he was unable to counteract the tidal influence.

After a near miss with the coal carrier Kamisu Maru, which was attempting to leave the port at the same time, the Endeavour River ran aground at the entrance to Auckland Channel, destroying the A1 beacon.

The ship was firmly grounded and could not be refloated until five days later.

Apart from some scratches to the ship's paint there was no significant damage to the hull, propeller or rudder.

It was found by the ATSB that when in the Auckland Channel, Endeavour River was to starboard of the planned route where, in order to berth the ship, the master needed to present more of the ship's port side to the flood tide and wind.

The report said the master did not use propeller thrust effectively while manoeuvring towards the berth and he did not place the tugs in the most effective positions.

It also found he had not received sufficient training in recovering from the situation when the ship was bodily across a flood tide.

Last year's incident was not the first time the bauxite bulk carrier had run aground in Gladstone Harbour.

In July 2003 during a mid-tide berthing on a flood tide, the Endeavour River destroyed the A2 beacon and grounded in the entrance to the Auckland Channel.

According to the ATSB report the circumstances leading up to the 2003 grounding were remarkably similar to those which contributed to the ship's grounding on December 2 last year.

The master on board the carrier last year was the chief mate on the ship's bridge when it grounded in 2003.

An internal investigation carried out by ASP Ship Management, which manages and crews the Endeavour River, shortly after the 2003 grounding led to a number of recommendations which were not implemented before last year's incident.

The ATSB found if ASP had implemented the findings and recommendations, the risk of a similar grounding reoccurring would have been significantly reduced.