MSC Napoli Sinking

[TREBOATS]

Plenty of deep water and shelter from the SW in the anchorage but not deep enough inside on the berths, hence the decision to head towards Portland as thay thought that they would get her on a discharge berth!

[vtr]

With reference to the question "why wasn't the ship towed to Falmouth?"

I'm no ship expert/engineer but I do have a background in heavy engineering & my current job is working at sea as a skipper, so hear are my comments based on 'my' experience & knowledge.

Looking at the various photo's of the ship shortly after she was abandoned it appears as if the stern of the vessel was sagging, as if her back had broken. The conditions at the time of the incident were SW severe gale 9 with swells/waves averaging 20ft - 30ft & occasionally 40ft - 60ft (according to the pilots of Rescue 193 & 194). If the vessel had been towed to Falmouth then it would have had to have been towed across, or at angle, to the swell. Anyone who's been to sea will know that when a vessel travels across a swell/wave at an angle the vessel corkscrews (rolling & pitching at the same time). Considering the structural damage at the time, the continuous movement of the stern in relation to the rest of the ship when traversing the swell/waves at an angle would quite likely have resulted in the stern breaking off completely. If this were to happen there would be a real possibility of the vessel being completely lost & an environmental problem of a larger scale than there currently is.
Attempting to tow the vessel with a following sea/swell was the favourable option to minimise the 'corkscrew' effect & hopefully get to a safe haven to begin discharging the cargo, fuels & assess the structure of the vessel &/or salvage.
Taking the vessel to France wasn't really an option. The north Brittany coastline, although would have afforded some shelter from the wind & sea, is mainly rocky & shelves off into deep water quite quickly, meaning an emergency beaching couldn't be made. The nearest port that could take a vessel of such a size as the Napoli is Brest which would mean having to tow the vessel into the weather & around Ushant. Doing so with the vessel in such a state would almost surely guaranteed it's loss.

On a different note, as usual the media has been making more of the story than is necessary. Yesterday each news bulletin was becoming more sensational, & at one point I did wonder if the next bulletin would be announcing there was a bomb on board & Bin Laden had been the 1st mate!!! :-?  :-D

[FWE]

There appeared no need for the receiver of wrecks to stand by and watch cargo being taken off the beach by opportunists. The protocol of notification was irrelevant  as the receiver was actually at the site and aware of both the wreck and the cargo on the beach and so could have claimed posession which if done would mean taking of cargo was theft. Failure to do this and protect the cargo then opens up the receiver of wrecks to claims from the cargo owners themeselves. The apparent looting of cargo while officials watched provides a poor image of our country.

I agree with the earlier poster that the intentional grounding may count in the owners favour under general average as there is argument that that action and additional damage caused to the ship by grounding and any subseqent events incouding salvage operations and pollution claims etc was as a result of a general average sacrifice to save the ship and cargo. Notwithstanding this failure to take this action the ship may have been lost however, intentionally or not the action appears to benefit the owners and their insurers when claims are settled.  

Are the owners and managers avoiding the press as in terms of a public relations exercise the shipping industry needs to actively represent itself else the public perception of it will be poor.

[gareth]

I have to say when the ship was off the North-West corner of Alderney, en route North to Lyme Bay, I wondered why they didn't head for Cherbourg.  This was just as close, would have kept the wind and sea astern, would have provided lots of shelter from any wind, and would have still provided the opportunity to beach in the (shallow) Eastern end of the outer harbour.

[RVM]

I think there are two different subjects here: General or Particular Average and the Salvage Contract and subsequent security.   Under the Lloyd's Form the master (or the person entering in to the LOF) signs on behalf of the ship, cargo, bunkers, stores and freight at risk (if any).  Though there are occasions when the ship wants one salvor and the cargo another.   In the present case there maybe several salvors, either joint or with some acting as sub contractors.,

Presumably the ship was beached by the French tugs as she was in imminent danger of sinking; whether she was beached in the best place will be decided later.   I don't know what contract was agreed by the French, or for that matter Smit, or whoever is to remove the oil and the cargo.

It would appear that the ship is in danger of becoming a CTL and, if it does become one, the P&I Club will have to pick up the tab.   The salvors can earn their remuneration in two ways: saving property and preventing, or reducing, pollution.

Regarding the Receiver of Wreck, when I first came into the industry (when Noah was a lad) the Receiver of Wreck was a local customs officer and he, and in those days it generally was a he,  often went to the site to minimise losses due to wrecking.

Apologies for any typos - my eyes are dim!

[Clarence Vautier]

any idea the name of the tug company that are standing by to pump of the fuel, I work for Secunda Internon the national and news it look like one of our supply ships.

[maz_atenza]

see pictures over here

http://www.premar-atlantique.gouv.fr/galeries/MSC-Napoli

[Ben]

Great set of photos on that site!

[Richie2012]

the ships at its side at the moment are Union Beaver, Anglian princess, Argonaute and the tanker forth fisher

[Jandaco]

I heard today from an Auxiliary coastguard who was at the scene  yesterday that the original damage to the Napoli was caused by a collision with a cantainer has anyone else heard about this?

[maz_atenza]

from Lloydslist again:

Regulation

Napoli hailed as 'model' for places of refuge directive
By Justin Stares in Brussels - Tuesday 23 January 2007

 
The MSC Napoli is the perfect example of the need for the European Commission

[maz_atenza]

and another one..

Containers

Salvage cost could hit $20m
By Sandra Speares - Tuesday 23 January 2007

 
 

SALVING the MSC Napoli could cost $15 to $20m should the vessel break up, according to salvage experts.

While potential costs are difficult to estimate at this stage of the operation, experts yesterday suggested to Lloyd

[maz_atenza]

and the last one...

Containers

Salvors battle against pollution threat from beached MSC Napoli
Questions raised over standard of crew and ship certification, writes David Osler - Tuesday 23 January 2007

OPERATIONS to pump bunkers off grounded boxship MSC Napoliare due to begin today, after the vessel was deliberately beached at the weekend.

Salvors Smit hope to have the receiving tanker Forth Fisher in place alongside the UK-flagged vessel this morning so that the work can commence.

The vessel

[maz_atenza]

rumors say GA been declared already..will wait and see

[Input_2007]

Might as well remove this too :-(