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Shipspotters all over the world => Shipping News and information => Topic started by: Timsen on June 17, 2013, 07:10:33 PM
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http://www.indiandefence.com/forums/social-current-affairs/27925-merchant-vessel-splits-into-two-off-mumbai-coast.html
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@ Timsen
thanks for posting. Interesting what they write in the posting. The picture is also good. One can see how she is starting breaking total apart almost at midships. I was on container ships and the way they are loaded, with total disregard to bendings and torsions during port operations one wonders that this does not happen more often. We had also cracks in the holds and such, so not a real suprise to me that this happens. I sailed with another Chief Mate 4-5 years back and he served on a 8000 TEU ship and he told me all over the ships were cracks etc. . Another container vessel had problems in the english channel where she broke apart ? (don,t remember the name) . I posted a few days ago something on the senseless gingantism of these ships (triple E comes to mind) and one day we may regret that they were builded and peoples noe in total favour of it will act surprised. To me not at all, we will see more of this and it will not stop until the insurance companies refusing to insure them because of the heavy losses to them. One can only hope, that like in this instance crews getting always off.
One day one will break apart in the english channel or close to a coast and creating beside the sinking a nice big oil spill, may be then the awakening happens
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The first time I hear a containership broke in two. Funny how she's only 316 m long & 5 years old. I'm curious what do those who built & operate nearly 400 m long containrships think now.
Speaking of the senseless gingantism, notice: pre-WW2 - liners, WW2 - battleships, 70s - oil tankers, now - cruise ships, bulkers, ore carriers, containerships. What will be soon in some decades?
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The one that split in the English Channel was the MSC Napoli.
http://www.ship-disasters.com/commercial-ship-disasters/container-ship-disasters/msc-napoli/
That was in 2007.
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@ Hawkeye
thanks for the info, really forgot that name,, age catches up :-)
@ Denis
that,s what I posted in the forum for the triple E,, we had it all big here and big there
quick here and quicker there and it all ended somewhere in disaster, as we now all know ,in disaster.
I know I sound old fashioned and backwards, but when I was about 20 I was on a container ship (Barbarossa, from Janssen, Elfleth, Charterer Name :Ibn al Akhfani, UASC) builded by Thyssen Nordsee. We took it brand new from the yard. The yard engineer who was in charge of the ship during construction sailed with us on the first trip from EU to the Persian Gulf, Kuweit amongst others and back,(btw we brought 5 palletts Becks beer there too), took 2 month the roundtrip. During all this time you could see that guy crawling through the whole ship, made notes and sometimes took pictures. He told us one day, that when he goes back there are certain things he lerned now and wants to change. No idea if he did,, but the point is in that time it was build by experience and looking afterwards how it works. Nowadays ships are constructed by computer programs. What is easily forgotten when the computer says its perfekt :GIGA = Garbage in / Garbage out
A computer can only work as good as the person who enters the data and where that data comes from. If that is flawed,,, GIGA !!!! again.
I firmly believe that we just see the beginning of the break ups. The fleet of container vessels over 300 m is relative young, lets see what happens when they are in 10-20 years stages (may be the slow steaming now is also a factor, with high speed it goes more through the waves, now they ride the waves and therefore possible the stresses are much higher then thought off). Lets hope that it will not cost lifes, but I am afraid sooner or later it will and then one will not hear anyone who says,, Yeah,,was risky,,but
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Ship was built in 2008 by Mitsubishi in Nagasaki (JPN). L/B 316/45,6. Classification Nippon Kaiji Kyokai. Flags as per equasis: Bahamas, Liberia, Marshall Islands, Panama, Singapore. Swell 6 meters when crack happens. Photo of crack on http://newindianexpress.com/nation/Indian-Coast-Guards-help-rescue-26-crew-from-shipwreck-near-Yemen/2013/06/17/article1639547.ece#
Regards Peter
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Download Marine Investigation Report MSC Napoli:
http://www.maib.gov.uk/publications/investigation_reports/2008/msc_napoli.cfm
Conclusion of the report:
The investigation has identified a number of factors which contributed to the failure of the hull structure, including:
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Latest on gCaptain from MRCC Mumbai shows both sections still afloat and at present been monitored.
It's good to see that there was no loss of life.
Hopefully they will be able to keep both sections afloat and be able to tow them to a port of refuge so that a proper inspection can be carried out and the actual cause be discovered.
A major problem in the Container Industry is under-declaring of container weights. This is meaning a lot of extra weight is been carried by vessels and thus the actual shear-forces, bending moments and torsion are not known and how they are effecting the vessel.
Last year I had to have loading stop on one container vessel I was Master on when we reached our marks and still had a number of containers to load. The information received from the planners stated that they could be loaded and the vessel would not reach her marks. Obviously there was more weight in the containers than was declared.
If this has been going on onboard the MOL Comfort for most of her life, it could be one factor in probably a list of contributing factors.
It will be interesting to see what the final report into the incident gives as the reason for the breaking in two.
Mark
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See sister ship ,all sisters have longitud deformation hull ???
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This just came in..
http://maritimedanmark.dk/?Id=19361 (http://maritimedanmark.dk/?Id=19361) This is a Danish site..
There is new pictures..
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Disturbing news, and the talk of the day in the industry.
Salvaging both halves should be the priority now...
Obvious reason is valuable cargo, but more important is finding out what actually hapenned.
My guess is just what Tykemariner said, mis-declaring of container weight, or wrong weight distribution.
Time is of major issue now: left to its own devices, unmanned vessel (both halves!) in current condition will eventually founder...
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Both halves look very stable, and the back half still presumably functions. Just wait for the weather to moderate, power the back half into the front, and continue the journey!
Holedriller
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A report in another Forum states she had her 5 year Special Survey only 3 weeks ago so looks like a mal-loading!
In meantime Lloyds Loading List lunchtime bulletin states:-
A Mitsui OSK Lines boxship reported sunk yesterday is apparently still afloat, having broken in two on high seas some 200 miles from Yemen, according to an Indian Coast Guard official.
Many of the 4,372 boxes on board MOL Comfort remain on the split vessel, although some have fallen in the sea, according to Mumbai operations unit commandant Rama Rao.
Rao said MOL-owned car carrier Sanderling Ace was at the site monitoring the situation but that the seas were still too high, with swells of 5 m-6 m, to determine the extent of any fuel oil spill.
MOL has now confirmed that the ship
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Maritime Bulletin confirms: MOL COMFORT split in two, obviously still floating. Heavy weather in that region of indian ocean.
Links:
http://www.news.odin.tc/index.php?page=view/article/518/MOL-Comfort-halves-still-afloat
https://twitter.com/nalam65
Regards Peter
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@ Tykemariner
That container weights are often off is really no new news. However I was also on a few container ships for a few years and one thing is normally never done on them, making a draft survey.
Only by mark is not the real deal in that matter because most container ships are by weight
not fully laden, special when making the Europe sling and then later the Asian sling hopping from port to port.
The extra weights, or better said misdeclared weights, would then have to be also more or less in one section of the ship in order to have a point(local)-impact. I would say highly unlikely that in one hold of a ship all the misdelcared containers are stowed by chance. Most probably they are a kind of "distributed" throughout the ship. The impact from misdeclared weights is much more important on stability then on bending and torsions.
I stopped once loading before finishing, not because of the draft mark (not reached) but because the vessel became top-heavy and moved very soft when a container was landed. After
re-weighing one of the containers still on the dock and to be loaded it was found that that container was misdeclared by almost 6 tons,,, we had 45 of them to be loaded and around
30 already aboard on deck.
My opinon is more in that direction that during loading/discharging the stresses put on the vessel are largely ignored. As you know also, because you were there as you stated, nobody can really track during the operations the reality stresses at all times and how often you most probably also saw that one bay was pulled empty while the next bay was just loaded full. A lot container ships have heeling tanks, which prevents a too high list but no trim tanks beside the regular ballast tanks. On most ships those pumps for the ballast tanks are not designed to keep up with the "present and active" stresses but usually used to make the final adjustments to trimming and stability at the end of loading and before leaving port.
I had one incident, I had just signed on in Singapore late evening, and walked in the morning with the CO alongside the vessel from the bow to the gangway aft, and naturally looking at the drafts. The vessel had a hogging of 90 cm !!!! on a 145 m vessel. I looked up and holds 1-2 and holds 4-5 were already on deck loading, holds full, and hold 3 empty. The reason was that two gantries, one worked from forward to aft and the other from aft to forward, but could not work hold 3 until dead last. After I inquired it was stated that they always discharged/loaded the vessel like that for time (money) reasons. I stopped the operations and requested cargo immediately for hold 3, you can imagine most probably also
what uproar from the stevedores side came !!!
That ship was 6 years in that charter and went out after one trip more, the holds were total rust, the hatch covers did not close anymore by centimeters and I remember one cover, it touched one side of the coaming, but not the other side, that was actually hold 3.
This total disregard to stresses (bendings/torsions)in ports during loading/discharging ops is in my opinion a much bigger problem because it makes the steel brittle and it is therfroe much more prone to crack. That certain construction details are not tested or not even calculated as above stated is another thing where one might think how classification companies can go along with that and place their stamp of approval on it.
Lets hope that this does not happen again,, but honestly I think we will see more of such instances in the future as the now first container vessels over 300 m entering the stage of over 10 years.
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Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. : Update:
Incident Involving the Containership MOL Comfort
06/18/2013| 05:18am US/Eastern
TOKYO-Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President: Koichi Muto) reports that the containership MOL Comfort could not continue sailing under its own power because the hull suffered a crack amidships while under way on the Indian Ocean. The vessel was fractured in two parts, fore and aft.
At about noon JST on Tuesday, June 18 (07:00 local time), the fore part of the hull is drifting around 13'00"N 60'40"E, and the aft part is about 19 miles southwest from that point. At present, both parts of the ship are laden with containers and drifting in an east-northeast direction. We are also arranging tugboats to tow both parts.
There are no indications as yet of a major oil leak near the site.
Details of onboard containers of the MOL Comfortthat might be lost overboard or damaged during the incident are being confirmed.
Source: Mitsui O.S.K. Lines 06/18/2013| 05:18am US/Eastern
Regards Peter
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(Funny how when there's an accident with some ship, some people delete their old photos of that ship & reupload them as the latest to get more hits)
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http://maritimedanmark.dk/?Id=19367 (http://maritimedanmark.dk/?Id=19367)
Latest news.. I will try to translate..
The Japanese-owned container ship MOL Comfort may not be sunk. The ship's owner, Mitsui OSK Lines, said it has sent two tugs to the position where the two parts of the ship is believed to be.
According to several sources, the two parts of the ship now 17 nautical miles apart, but these and all other information remains uncertain.
Also reports of oil spills vary widely. From Zero discharge to a large spill.
The only thing all sources agree on is that the ship's 26-man crew has escaped from the accident with their lives, and now find themselves on board the ships that sailed the ill-fated ship to the rescue Monday morning.
We continue to follow the case.
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(Funny how when there's an accident with some ship, some people delete their old photos of that ship & reupload them as the latest to get more hits)
Jepp, you're right! It's even funnier that the most viewed picture at present isn't uploaded under the proper name. Nothing against a bit of vanity, but that's simply a cheap trick to get more clicks.
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I understand the vultures.
As soon as I got the news of the accident, immediately two issues sprang to my mind:
First: was it "our" ship? Did I have anything to do with hull survey of the vessel? (No, it was NK classed. Pheeeew!)
Second: do I have any pictures I can upload to Shipspotting? (No. Dayum! But I have pics of the vessel that saved the crew, Yantian Express! However, after a while the fever from vulture-bug bite subsided, and I let it go.)
Mind you, I allow myself this post only after knowing that the crew is safe.
There is a new piece of information (for me) regarding the structure of the vessel, and the use of ultra-high tensile steel in its construction. It should be one of the main areas of investigation after salvaging the vessel.
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lappino wrote:
"There is a new piece of information (for me) regarding the structure of the vessel, and the use of ultra-high tensile steel in its construction. It should be one of the main areas of investigation after salvaging the vessel."
Pls read: YP47 - Ensuring the safety of ultra large containerships - The development of YP47 high strength steel and methods for arresting brittle cracks in ClassNK Magazine 2008, Vol. 60, pages 6-9.
Download-Link: http://www.classnk.or.jp/hp/pdf/publications/Publications_image/classnk_magazine_no60.pdf
Regards Peter
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Thanks, Peter, excellent read!
/Sensationalistic journalism mode ON./
Wow.
I am scared now.
MOL Comfort was completed on July 14, 2008.
Class NK magazine states that "Since February 2007, ClassNK has been conducting a research and development project aimed at developing technical requirements and design methodologies for arresting brittle cracks in the thick steel plates used in ultra large containerships. (...) Research is slated to conclude at the end of 2008."
MOL Comfort was a lab rat.
Built using new technologies, and rushed into service before the relevant research was finished.
Wow.
/Sensationalistic journalism mode OFF./
There are more to brittle cracks than the yield strength of steel, and possible starting points of cracks can never be eliminated due to impossibility of 100% checks of final workmanship.
I have seen enough forged NDT (non destructive testing: ultrasonic, magnetic particle, liquid penetrant...) reports, and NDT checks that were unable to find flaws that were clearly there.
Welding procedures for hull welding, once developed and approved (sometimes after double digit numbers of failed attempts) are followed only by NDT, and questioned only if something catastrophic happens.
Verification of mechanical properties of welded joints of ultra-high tensile steels actually made on board of this series of vessels should definitely be one of items to be checked.
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@ lappino: Thanks for your conclusion which I share with you. The initial hint came from a link to the Class NK magazine report in a (german) wikipedia-article: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOL_Comfort
There have been six units built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nagasaki, in 2007 and 2008. Maybe the remaining six boxships are in same danger splitting into two (or more) parts.
Regards Peter
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Japanese insurance sources reporting as follows:
Japanese insurance giant Mitsui Sumitomo is the lead carrier for the 7.9bn yen ($83mn) 8,000 TEU containership MOL Comfort, which broke in two and sank in the Arabian Sea yesterday (17 June), The Insurance Insider understands.
Marine sources suggest that Mitsui writes a 77 percent line on the Willis-brokered Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) hull and machinery programme, followed by Tokio Marine with 20 percent and Sompo with a 3 percent line.
(Source: The Insurance Insider).
Note: As per latest informations, both parts of the boxship are still floating.
Regards Peter
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MOL Press Release, dated 19th of June, 2013:
Update (No.3): Incident Involving the Containership MOL Comfort
TOKYO-Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President: Koichi Muto) reports that the containership MOL Comfort could not continue sailing under its own power because the hull fractured in two parts while under way on the Indian Ocean. At about 10:00 JST (05:00 local time) on June 19, 2013, two parts, fore and aft, laden with containers are drifting at about 2 knots near 12'57"N 61'10"E (the aft) (the central part of the Indian Ocean) in an east-northeast direction.
Today, we arranged a patrol boat which has already departed from Port of Jebel Ali, U.A.E. to monitor the state of the vessel and the cargo and for the preparation of tow operations. The boat is expected to arrive at the ocean site on 23rd if it goes smoothly. In parallel, we are arranging tugboats to tow the MOL Comfort.
In addition, we have started investigating the cause of the incident jointly with the vessel's shipbuilder, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
In the afternoon yesterday (JST), according to a report from our-operated vessel, which passed nearby the site, the MOL Comfort was stably floating even under adverse weather. It has not been acknowledged that fire has occurred nor a large volume of oil has leaked. All crew members were safely rescued when the incident occurred.
Source: http://www.mol.co.jp/en/index.html
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Regards Peter
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@ lappino: Thanks for your conclusion which I share with you. The initial hint came from Frank Behling, a german shipping journalist. He stated the link to the Class NK magazine report in his (german) wikipedia-article: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOL_Comfort
There have been six units built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nagasaki, in 2007 and 2008. Maybe the remaining six boxships are in same danger splitting into two (or more) parts.
Regards Peter
Hi Guys!
Just for the record - it wasn't Frank Behling, who wrote the german wikipedia article - i wrote it (including the info regarding the the use of YP47-steel).
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This is from the Danish site Maritime Danmark.. "The Japanese shipping company Mitsui OSK Line announced today that it has initiated a collaboration with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) to find out why the container ship MOL Comfort broke into two parts in the Indian Ocean on Monday.
"Yesterday afternoon, passed a ship we operate over near the site. It reported that MOL Comfort is stable liquid even under adverse weather conditions. It has been reported that the fire has occurred or that a large quantity of oil is leaked, "writes MOL.
The ship builder must determine how the 8,110 TEU ship (built in 2008) developed so disastrous a crack amidships in the hull in what was described as "bad" weather off Yemen.
MOL also says that there is ensured that a patrol boat is coming from Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates to monitor the two separate parts of the ship and which operates at a speed of two knots in the central part of the Indian Ocean in an east-northeasterly direction.
This vessel is expected to arrive in the area on 23 June and will be in addition to monitoring the ship also prepare the two parts of towing. Two tugs are also coming out against MOL Comfort.
Source: Tradewinds"
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Hi Guys!
Just for the record - it wasn't Frank Behling, who wrote the german wikipedia article - i wrote it (including the info regarding the the use of YP47-steel).
Thanks for clarification, my fault, sorry for mistake & inconvenience. Post (see above) has been corrected.
Regards Peter
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@ Denis & Stefan
yep,,full power KLICK-KLICK-Klick,, I really can,t imagine how stupid one must be to do that ,,re post for KLICKS,, what poor lives they must live ?
and.... I that would be an airliner fall down,,the planes would be grounded, Never
will happen in shipping !!!
The thing about the steel is intersting. One wonders if that has a role in it or is the sole role and did other yards use something similar or same.
Personally I believe we see only the beginning of more problems with such ships. Of course, always ,sonething different is done (bigger and bigger ships) something will happen,,sooner or later. MSC Nicole and now MOL Comfort,, same size ships. Lets see when the next bigger ones breaking apart,, hopefully not,,but I am afraid my hope is in vain
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Update (No.4): Incident Involving the Containership MOL Comfort
TOKYO-Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President: Koichi Muto) updates the status of the containership MOL Comfort as of 23:00 JST (18:00 Dubai time) on June 19, 2013. The vessel could not continue sailing under its own power from June 17 because the hull fractured in 2 parts while under way on the Indian Ocean,
Vessel:
The aft part is drifting near 13'00"N 61'29"E in an east-northeast direction. The status of the fore part is to be confirmed while the visibility is limited due to adverse weather. The patrol boat which has departed Port of Jebel Ali, U.A.E. on June 19, as mentioned in the Update (No.3), is expected to arrive at the ocean site on June 24.
Containers
Some of the containers might be lost or damaged during the incident, but majority of the cargo are confirmed to be aboard the aft part. The status of the fore part is to be confirmed.
Rescue of the cargo and hulls
We have contracted with a salvage company and are proceeding to rescue the cargo and hulls.
Oil leakage
We confirmed no large volume of oil leakage.
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Regards Peter
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Good morning!
As per schedule MOL COMFORT eta at Rotterdam on June 30th, 2013 with ets 1st of July, 2013; eta Hamburg 2nd July, 2013 with ets July 4th, 2013, eta Southampton 5th July, 2013 with ets 7th July, 2013 and eta Le Havre on 7th July, 2013.
Ports of loading: Kobe, Nagoya, Shimizu, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Vung Tau, Singapore
(Source: Hapag-Lloyd)
Containers loaded: 4,382 units (7,041 TEU) as per Mitsui O.S.K.
Dutch consignees meanwhile confirmed, they expecting cargo with MOL COMFORT. Magisso Benelux awaiting household ware (wine coolers) and Dayseaday Fresh and Frozen in Urk (Netherlands) awaiting also household wares. (Source: Nieuwsblad Transport)
This means: Havarie Grosse to be expected for several Consignees with port of discharge Rotterdam, Hamburg, Southampton and Le Havre.
Regards Peter
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Insurance MOL COMFORT
MOL COMFORT insured (hull only) with 83 Millions USD. Value of cargo estimated 300 Millions USD.
Source: http://www.nieuwsbladtransport.nl/Modaliteiten/Scheepvaart/ArticleScheepvaart/tabid/141/ArticleID/36477/ArticleName/AchmeavreesthetergstevoorMOLComfortenlading/Default.aspx
mfg Peter Hartung
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Press release of APL regarding MOL COMFORT
MOL Comfort
19 Jun 2013
We have been advised by our alliance partner MOL that the hull of the MV MOL Comfort has fractured into two parts amid bad weather in the Indian Ocean where the vessel was sailing from Singapore to Jeddah. Unfortunately, there are APL shipments onboard the affected ship.
As of local time 5am on June 19, the two sections of the ship remained stably afloat and were drifting near the central part of the Indian Ocean. Majority of the containers remained onboard. The crew were reportedly safely rescued when the incident occurred.
MOL is currently arranging for tugboats to tow the two sections of the MV MOL Comfort. A patrol boat has also been despatched from the Port of Jebel Ali, U.A.E. to monitor the state of the ship and its contents. Barring unforeseen circumstances, the patrol boat is expected to arrive on the affected site on June 23.
We are anxious to help our affected customers ascertain the extent of their losses and damages. We will continue to follow up with MOL and are committed to providing timely updates as and when we get them.
If you have cargoes onboard the MV MOL Comfort, you would have received an advisory from us. We urge that you immediately notify your cargo insurers as your shipment contents might have been lost or damaged as a result of this incident.
Please feel free to contact your local APL representative if you require more information.
+++
Regards Peter
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@ Peter
yes,,now it goes into the finer details, what most people don,t even think of. Just in time delivery for example.
I had that in 2002, ran in a sling here in the Caribbean, with 3 ships, same speeds, 3 weeks round turn. one broke down ahead of us, then we could not take all that cargo. We had every trip transhipment container for CUMANA,VEN. loaded off in Manzanillo , Panama and
onto us. 20 every week with pre assembled motors. They were going to a car plant (Toyota I think) in Ven and in the Puerto Jose area. After another round turn when we came back there,the factory stopped 2 days because the other ships was out and no more motors.
Imgine things like that with 1000,s of containers !!!!!
There is a rat-tail behind which dearly cost money and may be even jobs.
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@ Captain Ted: Thank you very much for your comment. The break is a big impact into the international supply chains. Hamburg is involved, the full UK/Europe-Range with a total of 4,382 units (= 7,041 TEU).
With great concern i like to give the following to your attention:
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Ted, I see for modern times containership is more dangerous than tanker.
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As per dutch sources following MOL-Boxships apparently involved in this case due to identical construction: "MOL Creation ',' MOL Charisma ',' MOL Celebration ',' MOL Courage" and "MOL Competence'. All Mitsubishi built in 2007 and 2008. Link: http://www.nieuwsbladtransport.nl/Nieuws/Article/tabid/85/ArticleID/36485/ArticleName/Vijfschepenhebbenzelfdeontwerpalsongeluksschip/Default.aspx
Regards Peter
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@ Peter
yes,,of ocurse they do like surprised,, but I think they know very well what high risk is involved in ever bigger (if not then they really don,t know what they are doing).
In their defence one should not forget the rapid pace set by big box owners in the last years in building ever bigger ships and also not the ship yards who builded them. There was simply no time to make big studies on such size ships. Unfortunately the big studies coming now "afterwards". AS stated before , I know a few guys who sail(ed) big boxers and most of them said now and then,,cracks here and cracks there, I don,t believe therefore that those guys and others in that business were totally unaware of something like this may be can happen. Lets hope it will not, but taking into consideration that those big ships are now on the threshold of getting old makes one think.
Any older container ship I ever sailed, was in the holds total rusty, ballast pipes started rotting away, frames and stringers did buckle/bend (brittle steel because of the constant torsions and bendings,,special in ports) this process of holes in the pipes etc starts at about 8-10 years by my own experience. Nowadays with ever thinner materials most probably already when they are 5-7 years old. That,s the age segment where I think both the MSC Nicole and the MOL Comfort were.(correct me if I am wrong)
If the two parts can be salvaged it would be interesting to read one day what the investigation says. But THAT investigation should be done by indenpendent institutions and not the very companies who builded and or oversaw the construction of the very same.
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Update (No.5): Incident Involving the Containership MOL Comfort
TOKYO- Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President: Koichi Muto) updates the status of the containership MOL Comfort as of 23:00 JST (18:00 Dubai time) on June 20, 2013. The vessel could not continue sailing under its own power from June 17 because the hull fractured in 2 parts while under way on the Indian Ocean,
1. Vessel
The fore and aft parts are drifting near 14
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Moin Theo, hi Peter etc.!
The series concerned is as follows:
'MOL Creation', built 2007, yard no. 2225
'MOL Charisma', built 2007, yard no. 2226
'MOL Celebration', built 2008, yard no. 2227
'MOL Courage', built 2008, yard no. 2228
'MOL Competence', built 2008, yard no. 2233
'APL Russia', built 2008, yard no. 2234
'APL Zeebrugge', built 2010, yard no. 2258
'APL Ningbo', built 2010, yard no. 2259
'Seroja Lima', built 2011, yard no. 2268
'Seroja Enam', built 2011, yard no. 2269
'MOL Commitment', built 2013, yard no. 2293
'tbn', built 2013, yard no. 2294
Koyo Dockyard built two vessels to a similar but not same design, 'MOL Continuity' an 'MOL Cosmos'. I am not sure, if they used YP47 steel as well.
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Couple of thoughts on the subject, not necessarily of crucial significance... ;)
Cracks in the structure are nothing new: sometimes due to faulty design, they appear on specific elements, and then are routinely repaired, with structural modifications/reinforcements fitted.
If it affects one ship of the same class, then it usually affects all sisterships.
As for corrosion being a significant problem...it isn't. Corrosion protection has come a long way, even from 10 years ago.
And lack of maintenance as an excuse for excessive corrosion is just like the admission of guilt for premeditated murder of the crew: if one wishes the ship to be safe and operational, one needs to maintain it. Period.
There is one thing I've seen many times on the upper decks and hatch coamings of container vessels, irrespective of their sizes: stevedores damaging the coating, with resulting deep spots of rust. If not immediately taken care of, this corrosion will quickly eat into the steel and diminish the thickness.
And there are limits for thickness diminution.
And there are ultrasonic measurements to verify the remaining thickness of steel plates.
100$ question: what are the requirements for thickness measurements for container vessels after 5 years of service, that is during its 1st "special survey"?
(Answer: zero. UT is not required.) :-X
I will be really interested in the results of the investigation...
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@ Lappino / Stefan - Peter
thanks all the infos
quote
There is one thing I've seen many times on the upper decks and hatch coamings of container vessels, irrespective of their sizes: stevedores damaging the coating, with resulting deep spots of rust. If not immediately taken care of, this corrosion will quickly eat into the steel and diminish the thickness.
unquote
The problem there lies more if one can do it. Usually at sea the hatch covers are covered by containers. In ports those covers go ashore, no permission from any major port and or container terminal of which I know that crew could go ashore and derust/paint etc.
During dry dock times, it is too expensive to do from shore side , and/or the crew does other works. Anyone who was anywhere in a DD with a ship can attest that working hours for crews in DD are easy 14-18 hrs a day. Jobs which are not done, usually are assigned for later at sea,,, then containers standing on top of it or in port they are ashore !!
A never ending circle.
quote
Cracks in the structure are nothing new: sometimes due to faulty design, they appear on specific elements, and then are routinely repaired, with structural modifications/reinforcements fitted.
unqoute
They are sure not new, but in my now close to 40 years at sea, I saw the first cracks on container vessels and then bigger than 175m. I can not remember that I saw in any other ship I ever sailed cracks of significance that it had to be really attended to right away.
In my young sailing years I can not remember ever seen a crack. That tells me that most
probably the notion to build ships with thinner and thinner steel and less and less stringers/frames in order to gain deadweight has a significant influence on the strength of the ships and on safety in the end.
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Thanks for your input, Capt. Ted!
Just to clarify, even if they are big, bad and many times rusty, hatch covers on modern container ships are not part of ship's hull structure.
Sure, they carry the load of all those stacked containers, but they do not influence the strength of the vessel's hull towards bending and torsion.
Hatch coamings, on the other side...on small notch at the corner may signify beginning of catastrophic failure...
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Hey there! I agree with Ted, Cracks in the area of the upper length-girder of larger container vessels are nothing unusual. Have seen this phenomenon in various degrees of severity on virtually all container vessels i sailed on in the recent years. I can even remember a cracked weld seam in the hatch coaming of a 88 meter long Sietas coaster after a severe bad weather in the Bay of Biscay. It's of course hard to make any guess about what happened at the 'MOL Comfort' before she finally ripped apart, but my first thoughts at watching the picture of the "crumpled" outer shell were more about the buckling strength then the typical outcome of a growing crack. Anyway, it's certainly a very exciting investigation ahead.
All the best,
Stefan
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Updates (No. 5, No. 6 and No.7): Incident Involving the Containership MOL Comfort
http://www.mol.co.jp/en/pr/2013/13037.html
http://www.mol.co.jp/en/pr/2013/13038.html
http://www.mol.co.jp/en/pr/2013/13039.html
further
i am still checking the loss of containers in bay No. 11 after ship splits in two parts.
As per my own calculations maximal 468 TEU possibliy involved (maximum 2 x 18 TEU in a row, six rows on deck, 7 rows below deck = maximum 468 TEU per bay. This is a theoretical amount of TEU, but after checking the photos of this accident it seesm that the contents of Bay 11 a completly lost. Comments appriciated.
Thanks. Regards Peter
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OK, that's just the bay.
What about the hold?
I would expect some extent of damage to the contents of entire affected hold...
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BBC reports as follows:
Tugs to reach MOL Comfort today
Monday 24 June 2013, 13:40
by Mike Wackett
The MOL Comfort was deployed on Loop 1 of the G6 alliance and was heading west when the incident occurred off the Yemeni coast.
Five other vessels share MOL Comfort design, says shipbuilder
MOL Comfort casualty highlights salvage
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Hi Peter
That photo looks like a 'stiched together' composite. The apparent anomoly seen on the waterline arond row 6 is nowhere near where the vessel split.
Allan
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The photo is definitely stitched together. Even the containers on deck are not straight. What a stupid thing to do.
Brgds
Phil
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@ Phil & Allan: Well watched. Yes, it is "stitched" - by the author of this photo. It is not my photo. But: What
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Hi Peter,
I know it is not your photo and I am not criticising you in any way. All I am saying is that the original author is wrong to mock up a photo which could easily be misconstrued by the public at large. There are plenty of photos out there which show the full length of the ship without having to resort to crude 'stitching'.
Brgds
Phil
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Lloyds Loading List confirms following:-
Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) has decided to carry out further inspections over six sister vessels of MOL Comfort, the five-year-old containership that split in two off Yeman last week.
The ships
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Expected news, both of additional inspections of sister/series vessels, and of Robin des Bois's a bit extreme reaction.
These additional inspections will maybe cause no more than only "limited disruptions" to the vessels' service - but before the full investigation of the salvaged parts, I think that NK can only start eliminating the possible causes, without finding the real one...
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There is a first report from the scene, published by the dutch "Nieuwsblad Transport". The tugs arrived at the two parts of the vessel, reported Marius Bakker from Cunningham Lindsey in Rotterdam. One of the tugs is "PACIFIC TERRIER": http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=1527463
More:
http://www.nieuwsbladtransport.nl/Modaliteiten/Scheepvaart/ArticleScheepvaart/tabid/141/ArticleID/36526/ArticleName/MOLComfortgenspecteerdHetlijktergoeduittezien/Default.aspx
Download details of "PACIFIC TERRIER": http://www.google.de/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=9&cad=rja&ved=0CGsQFjAI&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.swire.com.sg%2FGetSpecification.aspx%3Fid%3D20&ei=L7rJUfuAF4aLswaXr4DICQ&usg=AFQjCNHCnndV4l_Ia38gthIJjpZ2WyxGNw&sig2=SYxq6LZv_QwdOQv8Ja_B_Q&bvm=bv.48293060,d.Yms
Please note: Information still not confirmed by a second party.
Regards Peter
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MOL confirms the starting of towage of the fore ships part.
"Rescue of the cargo and hulls
We have contracted with a salvage company and are proceeding to rescue the cargo and hulls. The four boats arrived at the site on June 24. We have started to tow the fore part toward Arabian Gulf. We will continue to monitor the aft part and prepare for the tow operation."
No info regarding tugs, no info regarding port of destination. Understandable, as region is pirate operation region.
Quelle: http://www.mol.co.jp/en/pr/2013/13042.html
As per dutch sources tug PACIFIC TERRIER is engaged.
Regards Peter
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NYK ORION - IMO 9312999 replaces MOL COMFORT on the Far East Loop 1 run. Eta Rotterdam 1st of July, 2013.
Source: http://www.nieuwsbladtransport.nl/Nieuws/Article/tabid/85/ArticleID/36526/ArticleName/MOLComfortgenspecteerdHetlijktergoeduittezien/Default.aspx
NYK ORION: http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=1784129
Regards
Peter
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Agence France Press (AFP) reports as follows:
The "Mol Competence" container ship seen docked yesterday in the port of Le Havre, western France...
Tue, 25 June 2013
The Mol Competence container ship seen docked yesterday in the port of Le Havre, western France. French ecologist NGO Robin des Bois (Robin Hood) asked yesterday to the port of Le Havre's inspectors of the maritime security to immobilize the Mol Competence ship because of possible risks. The Mol Competence is identical to the merchant vessel Mol Comfort, owned by Japan's Mitsui OSK Lines, which broke its hull into two off the Yemeni coast last June 17.
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Agence France Press (AFP) reports as follows:
The "Mol Competence" container ship seen docked yesterday in the port of Le Havre, western France...
Tue, 25 June 2013
The Mol Competence container ship seen docked yesterday in the port of Le Havre, western France. French ecologist NGO Robin des Bois (Robin Hood) asked yesterday to the port of Le Havre's inspectors of the maritime security to immobilize the Mol Competence ship because of possible risks. The Mol Competence is identical to the merchant vessel Mol Comfort, owned by Japan's Mitsui OSK Lines, which broke its hull into two off the Yemeni coast last June 17.
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New photos of the foreship:
http://www.maritimedanmark.dk/?Id=19458
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Agence France Press (AFP) reports as follows:
The "Mol Competence" container ship seen docked yesterday in the port of Le Havre, western France...
Tue, 25 June 2013
The Mol Competence container ship seen docked yesterday in the port of Le Havre, western France. French ecologist NGO Robin des Bois (Robin Hood) asked yesterday to the port of Le Havre's inspectors of the maritime security to immobilize the Mol Competence ship because of possible risks. The Mol Competence is identical to the merchant vessel Mol Comfort, owned by Japan's Mitsui OSK Lines, which broke its hull into two off the Yemeni coast last June 17.
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Hi Peter!
Ok, then nothing special happened yet.
I honestly do not understand why the AFP report has been written as if the mere berthing of that ship would be something newsworthy. Well, somehow news agencies have to sell their reports, right?
Brgds,
Stefan
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The aft part is rolling heavily in adverse weather, and we regret to inform that the ingressing water in the cargo hold and the loss of containers on deck are progressing. The fore part is being towed stably with majority of cargo aboard.
http://www.mol.co.jp/en/pr/2013/13043.html
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The Times of India reports as follows:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Derelict-vessel-MV-MOL-comfort-Forward-part-taken-in-tow/articleshow/20792682.cms
It is - as per ToI-report - intended to tow the fore part to Oman.
regards Peter
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Lloyds Loading List Lunchtime REport:-
MITSUI OSK Lines (MOL) has announced it will withdraw six containerships from services to upgrade their hull structures as precautionary measures, after sister vessel MOL Comfort split during heavy weather off Yemen ten days ago.
The move comes after MOL, the vessels
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Aft part has sunk
http://www.mol.co.jp/en/pr/2013/13045.html
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Some more photo's of the sinking: http://gcaptain.com/comfort-images/
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What AHTS is involved on http://c.gcaptain.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Mol-comfort-ny-610x200_DxO-2.jpg ?
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Gentlemen, I am very curious as to how did they attached the towing ropes to the hull? Did somebody actually went on to the hull to attach the ropes? If yes, how? Wouldn't that be a bit dangerous?
Thanks...
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What AHTS is involved on http://c.gcaptain.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Mol-comfort-ny-610x200_DxO-2.jpg ?
It is the Sri Lanka flagged CAPRICORN.
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But it looks different - http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/ru/shipdetails.aspx?mmsi=417222375.
Doesn't look like the PACIFIC TERRIER either.
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I second Csaba's question...
How did they do it?
...
Pictures of the sinking are heartbreaking...(and bank-breaking for the insurers...)
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Denis is right. That's not the Capricorn IMO 8411683 in the GCaptain photos. It's a much more modern AHTS design. Possibly a Havyard 841 type.
Brgds
Phil
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The mysterious AHTS must be "SCI Urja": http://worldmaritimenews.com/archives/77370/india-cochin-shipyard-delivers-fourth-ahts-to-sci/
She is of Vard (formerly STX) AH-03 type
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Mats, much appreciated! Very nice looking ship!
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Mats has beaten me to it, but there are 4 sisterships in the SCI fleet
SCI URJA
SCI KUNDAN
SCI PAWAN
SCI AHIMSA
It is definitely one of those.
Brgds
Phil
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with all those 1700 boxes, some floating above, some under - this is disastrous.
Not mentioning large amount of FO, LO gone down, which will eventually start to leak out...
Initially both sections seemed stable, what could have caused the ingress of water - thru pipes?
Why do they tow bow section "aft ahead"?
rgds
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Mhh, just wondering why the aft section was afloat for about 7 days on open sea and sunk after ~ 3 days in tow...any ideas?
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Surely they never got a tow on the aft section. It is the fore section that is being towed, broken end first, that is causing the discussion.
Holedriller
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Holedriller, You are correct, there are no reports they ever attached a tow line to the Aft section
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It was reported that the fore end was down by the head about 3 meters. Maybe this is enough to prevent further water entering from the broken end???? :)
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Lloyds Loading List lunchtime bulletin reports:-
IN ITS 16th update since the casualty, Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) said yesterday that the forward section of the ill-fated 8,100 teu boxship MOL Comfort was
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Hi,
it seems that fore part of vessel has broken loose.
I can
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MOL Comfort Fore Section Breaks Free from Tow (http://www.vesselfinder.com/news/1254-MOL-Comfort-Section-Breaks-Free-from-Tow)
The fore section of the vessel could sink too because of the adverse weather. ???
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LLoyds Loading List confirm following today:-
The saga of the containership MOL Comfort
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why don
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I can
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http://gcaptain.com/comfort-towed-stern-images/
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The problems for Mitsui OSK Lines (http://www.mol.co.jp/en/index.html) (MOL)continue...
Fire breaks out on MOL COMFORT (http://www.vesselfinder.com/vessels/MOL-COMFORT-IMO-9358761-MMSI-311006900) fore section. The tugs are trying to extinguish the fire.
http://www.vesselfinder.com/news/1265-Fire-breaks-out-on-MOL-Comfort-fore-section
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This will be a nightmare, all what they can do,, spray water on it from a distance. When the fire/heat breaks /distorts the now seemingly still water tight forepart and a crack/hole developes that part runs full water too,,and that may sink the front part too.
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The aft part of the ship sank with 1,7000 containers onboard.
What a loss! :o
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Lloyds Loading List reconfirmation of situation...
The surviving fore part of containership MOL Comfort has caught fire while being towed to safe harbour in the Indian Ocean, Mitsui OSK Lines said.
MOL said the fore part, with some 2,672 boxes on board, has been on fire since Saturday and that the Indian Coast Guard and salvage company Smit were helping with firefighting.
One tug, two rescue boats and patrol boat Samudra Prahari, which has an external firefighting system, arrived at the scene around 0030 hours on Saturday.
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Some actual photos published by Indian Coast Guard (Source: gcaptain):
(http://www.das-floss-der-medusa.de/assets/plugindata/w2dblg27f385f47b1f66b954e7dd7614e0d890/pic1373294045.jpg)
(http://www.das-floss-der-medusa.de/assets/plugindata/w2dblg27f385f47b1f66b954e7dd7614e0d890/pic1373293991.jpg)
(http://www.das-floss-der-medusa.de/assets/plugindata/w2dblg27f385f47b1f66b954e7dd7614e0d890/pic1373294045.jpg)
(http://www.das-floss-der-medusa.de/assets/plugindata/w2dblg27f385f47b1f66b954e7dd7614e0d890/pic1373294007.jpg)
(http://www.das-floss-der-medusa.de/assets/plugindata/w2dblg27f385f47b1f66b954e7dd7614e0d890/pic1373294025.jpg)
(http://www.das-floss-der-medusa.de/assets/plugindata/w2dblg27f385f47b1f66b954e7dd7614e0d890/pic1373294101.jpg)
(http://www.das-floss-der-medusa.de/assets/plugindata/w2dblg27f385f47b1f66b954e7dd7614e0d890/pic1373294123.jpg)
Regards Peter
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Wow... this poor ship is sure catching no breaks...
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So sad
On top of everything a fire too. I do not believe the half will survive this as well.
Fire looks BAD :(
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I see attempts to save the fore part get more & more pointless.
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A FIRE that broke out on MOL Comfort
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quoted from gCaptain:
The Indian Coast Guard commented today saying that
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Hi, all! gCaptain publishing new photos from the fire scene. Fore part of the ship is still burning and it looks all very bad.
More under this link: http://gcaptain.com/molcomfort-fire-continues-rage/
Click on picture for full resolution, pls.
Regards
Peter
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Peter, thanks for the update - such a drama on the ocean!
My condolence to whoever had their cargo on board that ill-fated ship.
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The unthinkable happened. Mol Comfort fore section is also under the water. Apparently fire has destroyed not only the cargo...
MOL COMFORT UPDATE: Fore part Sank after Fire onboard (http://www.vesselfinder.com/news/1277-MOL-COMFORT-UPDATE-Fore-part-Sank-after-Fire-onboard)
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MOL Comfort comes to her end:
(http://c.gcaptain.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/2013-07-10.jpg)
Source: gCaptain
Actual position: 3.000 meters below the surface of the indian ocean. Or as MOL reported:
"The fore part of the containership MOL Comfort, which sank in the high seas near 19'56"N 65'25"E (water depth about 3,000m) at 19:00 on July 10 UTC (04:00 on July 11 JST).
About 2,400 containers on board the fore part of the vessel sank together, while some have been confirmed floating near the site.
About 1,600 metric tons of fuel oil and other oil were estimated to be in the tanks of the fore part. There is an oil film at the site, but no large volume of oil leakage has been observed at this moment."
Regards Peter
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BTW, I'd be curious to see summary of what kinds of cargo she was carrying. Is such a manifest available anywhere online??
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BTW, I'd be curious to see summary of what kinds of cargo she was carrying. Is such a manifest available anywhere online?
I don't think so. If I had my cargo onboard, I wouldn't want the whole world to know what I was shipping.
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MOL COMFORT
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Hi and thanks for the update.
Around 4000 containers lost and the ship too. Very sad indeed.
Especially because everything important is lying between 3000M to 4000M at the bottom of the Ocean. No checking to see what went REALLY went wrong when she broke in half.
The evidence is all gone. Very sad as the investigators can only now "assume" what happened.
Not real facts.
Regards,
tvtech
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If there was something wrong with the structure, they might get something out from the sister ships.
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ok,,then this saga is over
lets hope that it is the last for such fate,,but I am afraid that will be the other way
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Now just wait for conspiracy theories to start blossoming...
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Nonsense.....
It is usually a chain of failures that make a ship sink or a plane crash.
In this case it may have been a certain structural weakness, influence of stowage / weight distribution of cargo and the high seas/swell - vsl being at the wrong time at the wrong spot on the ocean.
Unless it's been a freak-wave, a US nuclear submarine or whatever ;D