Maersk Ship Demasts Iconic Sailing Ship and Damages Port Entering Fremantle
A well-known three-masted training ship Leeuwin II was extensively damaged as well as parts of the Fremantle, Australia port as a Maersk container vessel was attempting to dock in bad weather. Two individuals aboard the sailing ship sustained non-life-threatening injuries while the port and residents were in shock after the incident which happened early on Friday, August 30.
“The Leeuwin has been absolutely smashed to pieces,” a witness said on Radio 6PR Australia. “None of its mast is standing, and it’s listing over and hanging over onto the port.” Pictures showed parts of the mast hanging on the bow of the containership and other debris in the water while the Western Australia Maritime Museum sustained superficial damage to its roof and parts of the berth were broken off. There is also a gash in the hull of the containership.
The Maersk Shekou (108,622 dwt) was entering the port to berth at around 0600 local time. Port officials are reporting there were two pilots aboard and the vessel was being assisted by four tugs. Australia in recent days has been experiencing heavy weather and there were wind warnings for much of the country on Friday. Indications were that there was a 20-knot wind blowing in Fremantle this morning and the seas were running at about eight feet.
Preliminary assessments indicate that the strong weather conditions including wind gusts could have caused the allision. The 332-meter (1,089-foot), Singapore-flagged Maersk Shekou was entering Fremantle’s inner harbor after sailing from Adelaide when it struck the 1850’s style schooner, the 55-meter (180-foot) wooden sailing ship.
The non-profit managing the sailing ship said it was devastated by today’s events. Two nightwatchmen were aboard and taken to a hospital with one having possibly broken an arm. An initial assessment said the hull of the sailing ship was intact but the three masts toppled and there was damage to the deck. The ship is used for training cruises with the non-profit saying more than 40,000 young people had experienced sailing aboard since 1986.
The Shekou’s registered owners are listed as Moller Singapore. The 2010-built containership has a capacity of 8814 TEU and was due to depart Fremantle on August 31 to Port Klang in Malaysia. The vessel dropped its anchor as it was making a turn into the harbor but a possible gale pushed it into the sailing ship. It was later moved to its berth as investigators began their work.
“The ATSB is deploying a team of four transport safety investigators from its Brisbane, Canberra, and Sydney offices, with expertise in shipboard operations, pilotage, and recorded data systems, to the site,” said Angus Mitchell, Chief Commissioner of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) in a prepared statement. “They will conduct a range of evidence-gathering activities, including vessel examination, interviews, and the recovery of any relevant recorded data, as well as documents, records and weather information.”
Port operations resumed in Fremantle and the Maritime Museum reopened to the public on Friday afternoon.
Leeuwin II - Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation
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