2010nightmare - MVTimur Galaxy

"Haystack Hits Needle"

M/V Timur Galaxy

On The Scene In The Java Sea

August 11 2010

M/V Timur Galaxy - In Better Days

The 7,722 DWT Cause

Prolog To Disaster

PROLOG
Across the vast Pacific Ocean frontier are the expected myriad of atolls, shoals & islands to block or frustrate the course of mariners.
Modern technology has now superimposed a set of new obstacles to navigation.

Among these modern obstacles are oil platforms.

Indonesia is comprised of 17,508 islands -- but one steel "island" was overlooked by the South Korean flagged M/V Timur Galaxy when navigating toward oil platform KE40 on the evening of August 11 2010.

Still, considering the vast distances involved -- M/V Timur Galaxy found a needle in a haystack.

Michael McDaniel

Kodeco Energy Oil Platform KE40 - Listing Dangerously

From The Cargo Letter - August 11 2010

7,722-dwt Indonesian flagged M/V Timur Galaxy (IMO 8318726) allided with South Korea's Kodeco Energy (oil production platform) on Aug 11. Several parts of the facility were damaged, including the dock and hand rails. Estimated loss is some US$15M to US$20M [From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen, 21-8-10]

Platform KE40 Was Evacuated With No Loss of Life At 7 p.m. on August 11
A Miracle. The Impact of M/V Timur Galaxy Was Massive

Platform KE40 Listing At 40 Degress To The Southwest After The Massive Impact of M/V Timur Galaxy

From The Cargo Letter - August 17 2010

M/V Timur Galaxy collided with the South Korea's Kodeco Energy KE 40 wellhead platform at 6.53 p.m. Aug. 11 evening, damaging several parts of the facility including the dock and hand rails, upstream regulatory body, BPMi gas was cited as saying in media reports.
No injuries, spills or fires were reported at the site of the incident.

The KE40 wellhead platform, which has been producing from seven wells, was shut in immediately after the incident.

This will cause an estimated loss of 1,600 barrels per day of oil and 15 million cubic feet of gas per day.

Repairs to the wellhead platform are expected to take several weeks to complete, the Jakarta Post reported.

Kodeco has mobilized a remotely operated vehicle to assess the damage to the wellhead platform. The operator has also several oil spill equipment including an oil containment boom on standby in the area.

Prior to the incident, West Madura PSC is producing 205 mmcfd of gas and 30,000 bpd of condensate from 14 wellhead and central processing platforms.

Gas is supplied to state-owned utility company Perusahaan Listrik Negara, state-owned gas and transmission company Perusahaan Gas Negara and petrochemical company Petro Kimia Gresik.

Crude is exported to state player Pertamina's 260,000 bpd Balikpapan refinery in East Kalimantan and 348,000 bpd Cilacap refinery in Central Java.

Kodeco is the operator of the West Madura Production Sharing Contract (PSC) in Indonesia, while its sister company, Korea Development Co., Ltd is the operator of the Poleng block, which is located next to the West Madura PSC area.

Currently Kodeco operates 14 production facilities including KE5, KE6, KE23, KE30, KE32, KE38, KE40, KE56, Poleng AW, BW, CW, DW, Poleng Processing Platform, and the Central Processing Platform (CPP).

Platform KE40, Has 7 Wells -- These Were Automatically Shut Down Immediately After The Collision

The Estimated Loss Will Be 1,600 Barrels of Oil Per Day & 15 Million Standard Cubic Feet of Gas Per Day.

Hit & Run?

Authorities Originally Listed This Incident As A "Hit & Run"

Reports Said M/V Timur Galaxy Was Sought By Authorities

This Issue Has Not Been Discussed Further In The Press

Platform KE40 Faces Either Shut Down Or A US$15M To US$20M Repair

The Evidence Suggests Human Error Was The Cause of This Collision For M/V Timur Galaxy

Editors Note

"Human Error" Is The Subject of A New Maritime Book From Geoffrey Gill, an Attorney At the Countryman & McDaniel law firm.

MV Timur Galaxy

From The Cargo Letter - June 1 2009 - Hero Ship MV Timur Galaxy

At least 350 people were plucked from the Java Sea after their inter-island ferry caught fire in a dramatic weekend incident off the coast of East Java.
The MV Mandiri Nusantara caught fire and sank at 3 p.m. on June 1 2009, leaving some survivors in the water until early the next morning.

The rescue was led by and survivors and taken back to Surabaya aboard the cargo carrier MV Timur Galaxy.

Effect of The Encounter With Platform KE40
MV Timur Galaxy Got The Better End of The Deal

From Our Reader:

"Is this is a classic case of hero to zero?"
The 2009 Accident Where M/V Timur Galaxy Was A Hero
Perter Wright - UK

Editor Note:

So right Peter. That's now hero to US$M ! She placed herself somewhat above Zero!
McD

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The Dedication of This Feature Is Simple: To The Crews of Oil Platform Platform KE40 and M/V Timur Galaxy -- All Mariners Who Are At Risk At Sea.

SPECIAL NOTE: The historic dangers of carriage by air & sae continue to be quite real. Shippers must be encouraged to purchase high quality marine cargo insurance from their freight forwarder or customs broker.
It's very dangerous out there.

INDEX TO OUR "Haystack Hits Needle" PAGE SPECIAL FEATURES:

Important Links To Our Feature:
Java Sea
Kodeco Energy

Our Daily Vessel Casualties - stay informed

"Singles Only" - visit our individual moments of transport crisis for more.

The Greatest Container Losses Of All Time - these are the grand fathers -

M/V OOCL America
M/V APL China

M/V APL Panama - The EPIC

"Great Misfortune"- M/V Hyundai Fortune - March 2006

SPECIAL NOTE: The historic dangers of carriage by sea continue to be quite real. Shippers must be encouraged to purchase high quality marine cargo insurance from their freight forwarder or customs broker.
It's very dangerous out there.

Thanks To Our Contributor For The "Haystack Hits Needle" Feature

Our Contributors for this feature are:
Anonymous Contributor Who Must Always Remain Anonymous

NOTE: Please Provide Us With Your Additional Information For This Loss.

EDITOR'S NOTE FOR SURVEYORS, ATTORNEYS & MARINE ADJUSTERS: The Internet edition effort of The Cargo Letter now celebrates it's 8th Year of Service -- making us quite senior in this segment of the industry. We once estimated container underway losses at about 1,500 per year. Lloyd's put that figure at about 10,000 earlier this year. Quite obviously, the reporting mechanism for these massive losses is not supported by the lines. News of these events is not posted to the maritime community. Our new project is to call upon you -- those handling the claims -- to let us know of each container loss at sea-- in confidentiality. Many of you survey on behalf of cargo interests with no need for confidentiality. Others work for the lines & need to be protected. As a respected Int'l publication, The Cargo Letter enjoys full press privileges & cannot be forced to disclose our sources of information. No successful attempt has ever been made. If a personal notation for your report is desired -- each contributor will be given a "hot link" to your company Website in each & every report. Please take moment & report your "overside" containers to us. If you do not wish attribution, your entry will be "anonymous." This will will benefit our industry -- for obvious reasons! McD

* NOTE: The Cargo Letter wants you to know that by keeping the identity of our contributors 100% Confidential, you are able to view our continuing series of "Cargo Disasters." Our friends send us materials which benefit the industry. The materials are provided to our news publication with complete and enforceable confidentiality for the sender. In turn, we provide these materials to you.

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