Pasha Bulker aground off Newcastle (Aus)

whoa mate, apparently they were on a MOORING, and I guess they thought it was safe, but details are sketchy as per Pasha has double skin , all new ships plying our coasts have to have this, another rule!!),
i have no idea of the wind speed, but we dont get Atlantic Storm wind speeds here , even in cyclones which drift this far south, here in QLD they issue a strong wond warning at 15 knots, this is to protect pleasure boat insurers for having to coff for people going out in :strong winds: we all know that at 15 sailing becomes very pleasent

 

The good news so far is that she is bow on to the beach. That will make pulling her off much less difficult than otherwise. Woona is classed as an ocean going tug, 42 T bollard. Keera is a salvage tug, 62 T bollard. They may be needed to keep her stern off the beach, but I suspect they'll need more grunt to pull her off. The key may be getting a dredge to dig a trench from the stern out to deeper water. And, of course, a sustained break in the weather!

It's been done before. APL Panama was stuck on the beach parallel to the shore. (The skipper was impatient, didn't want to wait for a pilot, came too close to the beach at dusk in calm weather.) It took several months, but most of that time was offloading cargo.

 

lazey mate unfortunately no matter where you are the Master is still resposible for his vessel amd the crew are responsible to the master! so yep no matter how safe they thought they were - they were not and thus stand condemned! 5H1T happens but happen it does! and frequently too!

 

Charlie, yes it is possible to shift her but at what cost? and the weather needs to be pretty good for some time as well! In the end is it worth it? if it is go for it, but......

 

As in most things related to the sea, the weather will be the key ...

 

Charlie again you are absolutally right!

 

Live Webcam on the beach http://www.coastalwatch.com/camera/cameras_large.aspx?cam=2790&state=NSW

 

Well they have been trying to salvage her tonight, and apparantly they have just called it off.
Not sure why yet, will catch the late news.

here is a video story on it from the 7:30 report that played last night
http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200706/r155189_559477.asx
(more versions here if that one doesn't work for you)

 

Apparantly one of the six cables (to one of the tugs) snapped a few hours ago. They managed to move it around about 6 degrees, and will reattempt the procedure again tomorrow night, and if that fails again the next. After that the king tides will be past, probably along with any real hopes for salvage.

another nice photo,

 

My boat's GPS has an anchor alarm which is activated if it is (mine's set at 10 metres) away from it's original anchor point.

Don't ships this size have that or do they just rely on the person on watch to notice the boat isn't in the right spot. ie. when they are parked not moored.

Poida

 

Amazing how the news reader has magically transformed "Pasha Bulker" from a bulk carrier to a "massive container ship".

 

I suppose we will eventually hear the full story of the Pasha Bulker but the conditions were severe. There are unsubstantiated (from what I can find) accounts of 17m (55ft) seas - that is serious even in a large vessel. Such waves have been reported before in the area and a large ship went aground in similar location, similar circumstances and conditions in 1974.

Off Newcastle is like a ship parking lot these days. The place has had up to 70 bulk carriers moored offshore at a time. Normally there is ample sea room between each other and the shore but in severe conditions the room can quickly be too little.

My understanding is the ship dragged its anchor. There were at least two others reported to be in a similar situation. I do not know why they could not steam but you could imagine compounding circumstances - trying to get the anchor to hold; trying to make way against steep seas (it is not very deep) and getting into a panic. The crew were reported to be terrified prior to being lifted off. Anything moves fast in 100+kph wind.

So I think they were well aware that the anchor was not holding just too little time to get out of trouble. They should have been ordered to sea based on forecasts but this costs money so not done a whim.

I would dearly like to find a better quality image of the Sygna that I have attached. It shows some serious waves. I do not look forward to ever being in 17m seas in any vessel.

Rick W.

 

Pasha Bulker aground

Watching the painful process I've a feeling that she'll stay aground until they decide to cut her up for scrap. Too many 'experts' claiming that her internal structure is 'reasonably intact' to be believeable. Possibly to calm public fears of potential pollution. Quixotic really as she's beached in an area which has just been proclaimed a 'Marine Park'....

 

Instead of trying to move the boat out, why don't they move the beach back.

When they are making canals for canal homes they excavate the canals and leave a dam wall between the sea and the canal.

Then they cut a small ditch between the two and the sea rushes in and the erosion clears out the dam.

Or excavate around the ship and get dredges in to clear away the sand. Excavate when the tide's out.

Think I might have to go over there and sort this stuff out.

Poida

 

Latest they've spotted oil coming out of the intact structure.

Poida