Captain dined while Pasha Bulker moved toward disaster?

[Charles McAllister]

A report allegedly withheld by the Australian Government states that, among many bad decisions, the captain and chief engineer of Pasha Bulker ate breakfast away from the bridge, leaving the ship in the hands of junior crew while they attempted to move away from the lee shore as the ship was battling a major storm.

Story here: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/10/12/1191696173754.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

[Brian Cawkwell]

Hi  charmctug ,
What a story, I canot believe that the ship was towed into one of the biggest ports in the world for exporting coal and the ship could have sunk at any time with a broken back!!!!!!! Iam absolutly speachless that this could happen !!!!!!!!

The ship would have definately blocked the port and the cost to the coal mines in Austrailia would have been huge, this port normally exports in a weak 7 000 000 tons of coal , every weak!!!!!!!

I think it was a massive risk towing the ship into the port of Newcastle?

Any one have any comments on this?

Best regards
Cawky

[Captain John K]

I just did an editorial on this subject for our maritime blog. Let me know what you think:

http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/pasha-bulker-incident-report-nearly-unbelievable/

[Richard Matterson]

From what I have been told the damage to the Pasha Bulker is more significant than that which occurred to the CMA CGM Normandie in 2001. I would have thought that following the subsequent loss of that ship (as MSC Napoli) rebuilding the Pasha Bulker is foolhardy at best.

[Charles McAllister]

by gcaptain on 2007/10/13 17:49:42

"I just did an editorial on this subject for our maritime blog. Let me know what you think:"


John,

Good piece, well written.  As so often happens, more attention to preparation for the move, for example by discussions with other skippers and asking questions of the weather services, might have averted this disaster.

[Stuart Scott]

Mattmar asked:-

"I would have thought that following the subsequent loss of that ship (as MSC Napoli) rebuilding the Pasha Bulker is foolhardy at best."

Panamaxes today are earning $93,000/day on spot market for a Pacific round voyage (i.e. Newcastle-Japan coal). At these rates, anything is possible. Expect her back in service soon with a new name!

Regards, Stuart

[Richard Matterson]

Stuart,

From that aspect I'm not surprised, however all reports indicate that she was very significantly damaged and I for one  will be keeping a close eye on her future names and will be ensuring that I don't go anywhere near her in an on-water capacity.

I reckon that if she does subsequently have a structural failure anywhere in the vicinity of the new work the potential lawsuits in the event of death, injury or damage will be horrendous.

Richard.

[Captain John K]

Thanks for the kind words. :-D  We'll try to stay atop this story so if anyone has a lead please pm me. -John

[Marcelo Lopes]

Just as further info she are in Hon Khoi, Vietnam for shipyard repairs (Reported arrived aug 07)

Hon Khoi particulars

Latitude & Longtitude: 12