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"Acute Rena Failure"

The Grounding of M/V Rena

Feature Date: Oct. 5 2011 In Singles Only

Event Date: Oct. 5 2011

M/V Rena

IMO Number: 8806802

Countryman & McDaniel

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"Overlooking Runway 25 - Right, at Los Angeles International Airport"

On The Scene -- At Astrolabe Reef, off Tauranga, Maritime New Zealand

 A 2011 Countryman & McDaniel

Cargo Nightmare Prize Contender

FEATURE UPDATES: (click for the selected date)

PAGE 1 --

M/V Rena Profile

October 5 2011 - The Incident - Cracked Hull & Ecological Damage

November 5 2011 - One Month Summary - Vessel Stabilization & Fuel Removal

November 15 2011 - Removing The Cargo Containers - Saving A Doomed Vessel?

November 16 2011 - The First Container Is Removed - Successfully

November 21 2011 - Meet Sea-Tow 60 And 49 Containers Removed Thus Far

November 22 2011 - Svitzer Salvage Engineers And The Danger Dance

November 23 2011 - Stern Containers Are Cleared -- Amazing Salvage Feat

December 3 2011 -- Bad Weather Slows The Pace

December 7 2011 -- Reinforcements - The Arrival of Crane Barge Smit Borneo

December 17 2011 -- Bad Weather, Crane Problems And More Containers Over Side

December 31 2011 -- Associated Press Exposes Problems Reported Before Crash

PAGE 2 --

January 2 2012 -- M/V Rena Breaks In Two

January 9 Thru 11 2012 -- The End of M/V Rena - An Updated Sequence of The Sinking

A New Wave of Containers Hits The Beach

January 18 2012 - The Wreck of M/V Rena - The Next Salvage Chapter Begins

January 19 2012 - A Watery Grave -- Container Oerations Resume

February 5 2012 - Container Operations Continue

February 17 2012 - Container Operations Focus On Sunken Aft Section

March 17 2012 - M/V Rena Gets A Helipad And More Bunker Fuel Is Removed

May 5 2012 - Time Is Running Out As M/V Rena Deteriorates In Heavy Seas

May 20 2012 - M/V Rena Lifeboat Auction - Own The Boat

June 1 2012 - Officers of M/V Rena Are Sentenced To Prison

June 8 2012 - Last Hatch Covers Are Removed

June 17 2012 - First Stage of Salvage Ends One Month Early -- Wreck Removal Begines

August 22 2012 - Wreck Removal Operation Continues - Hearing Continued

The Photo Contributors For This Feature:

Maritime New Zealand
Blaine Prentiss -- Asst. Editor, The Cargo Letter

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Ashley Black - UK

William Cooke - Hawaii

Todd Drake

Ben Gundry

Keith Hadland

David Kempster - Australia

Stuart Midgley - Duck Brothers Transport Pty Ltd, , Australia

John Nichols - Scottsdale, AZ

Jude Ravo

Reuben

Jay Scott

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A Cargo Nightmare Prize Contender

The Date: Oct. 5 2011

The Time: 02:20 Local

The Place: Astrolabe Reef, off Tauranga, Maritime New Zealand

 

"Acute Rena Failure"

M/V Rena

IMO Number: 8806802

On The Scene At Astrolabe Reef, off Tauranga, Maritime New Zealand

October 5 2011

M/V Andaman Sea Would Become M/V Zim America & M/V Rena - In Better Days

M/V Rena, EX-M/V Zim America, Ex-M/V Andaman Sea
Voyage Related Info (Last Received)

Andaman Sea (Until 2010 Nov 24)

Zim America (Until 2007 Mar 12)

Andaman Sea (Until 2007 Jan 29) - Operator: ZIM

Flag: Malta

IMO Number: 8806802

MMSI: 636014911

Callsign: A8XJ7

Current flag: Liberia

Home port: Monrovia

Class society: American Bureau Of Shipping

Builder: Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft Kiel, Germany

Current owner: Ofer Brothers Group Herzliyya, Israel

Owner under name Andaman Sea: ZIM Integrated Shipping

Manager: Ciel Ship management Athens, Greece 

Chartered to: Costamare Inc.

 

Draught: 9.6 m

Destination: Tauranga, New Zealand

ETA: 2011-10-05 13:00

Speed recorded (Max / Average): 17.7 / 17 knots

Speed marching: 21 kn

Main engine: 8RTA76

1240 KW, 8 cylidners, Cegielski Poznan - Poland

Build year: 1990

Vessell type: Container Ship

Hull: Double, Dry Cargo

Maximum TEU capacity: 3351

Gross tonnage: 37,209 tons

Summer Dead Weight: 47,230 tons

Handling equipment: (swl 6,1 tons)

LOA (Length Overall): 235 m

Beam: 32 m

The Prolog To Disaster -- An Acute Loss
 

PROLOG TO DISASTER

MV Rena is a 3,351 TEU container ship owned by the Greek shipping company Costamare Inc. through one of its subsidiaries, Daina Shipping Co. The ship was built in 1990 as M/V ZIM America for the Israeli shipping company Zim by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft AG in Kiel, Germany. She was renamed M/V Andaman Sea in 2007 and has sailed under her current name and owner since 2010.

It was just after 2 PM in calm seas, on a routine voyage when the aging MV Rena would gain infamy by grounding on the well known Astrolabe Reef.

The story of M/V Rena was and will have a great economic & ecolocilcal impact on this area of Maritime New Zealand, but our coverage suffered an unfortunate break as we departed to attend the FIATA World Congress at Cairo, Egypt from Oct. 15 through Oct. 28. We expected to resume this story, with a full feature, in a about two weeks. If history held true to form. It did.

M/V Rena has remained breaking news. With M/V Rena hard aground and her holds flooded -- the big question remains whether this troubled vessel can be saved? Ay least, yhe loss of M/V Rena Is Acute.

While our feature will demonstrate the current crisis for M/V Rena, during our trip to Cairo the greater danger has presented itself in terms of ecological disaster. As for the vessel, M/V Rena appears doomed.

We plan to follow .this debacle from today forward.

All Photo Are Courtesy of Maritime New Zealand.

This feature deals with two concepts:"Acute Rena Failure" ........ and ....... of course ....... as always ....... "Ship Happens! ©"

Michael S. McDaniel - Your Editor

M/V Rena

October 5 2011 -- The Incident

From The Cargo Letter - Oct. 5 2011 - stranded at Astrolabe Reef, off Tauranga, Maritime New Zealand
47,230-dwt Liberian-flagged boxship M/V Rena (IMO: 8806802, built 1990, 3029 TEU) carrying 25 crew struck the Astrolabe Reef and grounded on Oct 5. Several breaches have been identified in the hull but no breaches in the fuel tanks. A light sheen of oil was detected in the surrounding water which is able to be dispersed easily. No injuries. [From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen, 5-10-11]

Astrolabe Reef - an ironic place to ground a vessel

An astrolabe is an elaborate inclinometer, historically used by astronomers, navigators, and astrologers. Its many uses include locating and predicting the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars, determining local time given local latitude and vice-versa, surveying, triangulation, and to cast horoscopes. It was used in classical antiquity, through the Islamic Golden Age, the European Middle Ages and Renaissance for all these purposes. In the Islamic world, it was also used to calculate the Qibla and to find the times for Salah, prayers.

There is often confusion between the astrolabe and the mariner's astrolabe. While the astrolabe could be useful for determining latitude on land, it was an awkward instrument for use on the heaving deck of a ship or in wind. The mariner's astrolabe was developed to address these issues.

Under the present circumstances of M/V Rena, Astrolabe Reef is an ironic grounding location. M/V Rena might have been better off using an astrolabe for navigation, but now there is ample opportunity for M/V Rena to use the inclinometer feature for calculating her list.

THE IRONY MOST CRUEL

But the irony most cruel is having US$800,000 of sauvignon blanc stuck on the Astrolabe Reef -- a fact not lost on the Marlborough area winery that shares the same name. Blenheim wine company Astrolabe Ltd. has a shipment of 4,000 cases on the 236-meter M/V Rena. The wine was destined for the Irish Christmas market. Indeed, officials have doubled crews for the salvage effort upon learning of this peril for the sauvignon blanc. There is great sadness in Dublin, where a vigil in underway.

We hope Astrolabe Ltd had quality marine cargo insurance -- because a significant part of the cargo value -- if not most of it -- will be spent in General Average to save M/V Rena. Cargo insurance pays for General Average claims, to the insured amount.

Perhaps Astrolabe LTD should have used it's own astrolabe in planning this shipment.

Astrolabe Reef Peaks From The Sea -- Tip of The Berg

From The Cargo Letter - Oct. 5 2011 - stranded at Astrolabe Reef, off Tauranga, Maritime New Zealand
Maritime New Zealand says hydraulic oil has spilt from M/V Rena which has struck a reef near the Tauranga Harbour on Oct. 5, however the vessel's fuel tanks are still intact.

The 236m cargoM/V Rena, which carries a Liberian flag, struck the Astrolabe Reef, north of Motiti Island, around 2.20 am. There are no reported injuries to the 25 crew on board.

A "light oil sheen" found on the surface has been identified as hydraulic oil, Maritime New Zealand says.

M/V Rena, which left Napier bound for Tauranga Port, is reportedly on a 10 degree list, but is stable on the reef. Two of her cargo holds are flooded, and pumps are being used to extract the water. "As a precautionary measure, fuel in tanks on the port side is being transferred to the starboard side," Maritime New Zealand said in a statement.

"The ship's captain is in discussion with the ship's owner and salvage experts to assess how best to move the ship off the reef - this is expected to take some time."

MNZ's Marine Pollution Response Service is mobilising its team of trained spill responders, as well as specialist equipment to the site. Members of the National Oiled Wildlife Response Team have also responded to Tauranga.

The Astrolabe Reef is about 4 nautical miles north of Motiti Island (about 12 nautical miles off the coast).

In August, the 22-year-old M/V Rena was detained for a day in Freemantle, Western Australia, by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority after "serious deficiencies" were found on the ship.The authority's report found the vessel had "not been maintained between surveys", the "hatchway cover securing arrangements defective" and cargo was not stowed and secured as stipulated in the cargo securing manual. The vessel was released after these issues were addressed.

M/V Rena is owned by the company Costamare Inc, of Greece, and was under the charter of the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC).

VIDEO oF M/V Rena At Astrolabe Reef

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From The Cargo Letter - Oct. 7 2011
Lightering operations will begin on October 10 with the focus of removing the heavy oil and diesel fuel from M/V Rena first.  A naval architect is expected on scene and to evaluate if any other cargo will need to be lightered off M/V Rena before salvage can begin.  The tug M/V Waka Kume out of Auckland has been charted to assist in the salvage operation. The tug is expected to be on scene by the next day.

Greatest fear -- the oil tanks have been compromised. Over 20 tons of oil has thus far leaked from /V Rena -- but there are 2,000 tons aboard.

Four vessels from the New Zealand Defence Force have been deployed for the response, comprising Rotoiti, Taupo, Manawanui and Endeavour.

Editors Note - 15 Oct. 2011

The saga of M/V Rena will be breaking news for the foreseeable future, as we have experienced with so many nail biting stories of this type over the years. Normally The Cargo Letter would provide you with daily updates and a flood of exciting photos -- including many we have already collected.

Unfortunately, we must depart to attend the FIATA World Congress at Cairo, Egypt very shortly. We expect a break in our coverage, but plan to resume this story, with a full feature, in a about two weeks. If history holds true to form, M/V Rena will remain breaking news at that time. With M/V Rena hard aground and her holds flooded -- the big question is whether this troubled vessel can be saved?

Thanks to all our loyal Contributors, whose valued efforts brings depth to the features we provide for you.

McD - your Editor

Reader Comments - Oct. 8 2011

From the various news stories it appears M/V Rena may be leaking some fuel oil while she has definitely already leaked some lighter oils. New Zealand is very proud of its 'clean grean' image as tourism is a major part of their economy, so the oil leak concerns are the headline stories in all the local media.

Weather has been remarkably calm so far but heavier seas are forecast from Oct. 10. Maritime NZ ordered the shipowners to appoint a salvor two days ago and Svitzer was signed.

I just thought to check the tides at the time of the grounding, M/V Rena did indeed go aground only 27 minutes after high tide. High tide was at 0153 local time, she grounded at approximately 0220.

Looking at the images of M/V Rena, her forward half seems to be stuck fast, her stern half still floating. I wonder how, the structure of M/V Rena will cope with that if the heavier seas do arrive That explains why M/V Rena looks so high in a lot of the photos.

Stuart Midgley - Duck Brothers Transport Pty Ltd,, Australia
This Graf Shows The Extreme Degree of M/V Rena Hard Aground

A Crack Is Evident In The Forward Section of M/V Rena -- Evidence of The Full 21 Knot Groudning

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M/V Rena Is Wounded -- Beyond The Ability of Field Repair

M/V Rena Seems Doomed

From The Cargo Letter - Oct. 15 2011 - stranded

The Captain and 2nd Officer of M/V Rena were arrested in New Zealand. The Captain was remanded on bail after being charged by Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) under Section # 65 of the Maritime Transport Act with "Operating a vessel in a manner causing unnecessary danger or risk." The 2nd Officer, who was in charge of the navigation watch of M/V Rena is facing the same charge. The alleged offense carries a maximum penalty of US$7,800.00 or a maximum 12-months in jail. MNZ says more charges are likely to follow.

The Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) port-state-control (PSC) records show container ship M/V Rena was cited for multiple deficiencies on four occasions and detained once during the 4-months before she went aground on Astrolabe Reef. Records show the last inspection at Bluff, New Zealand, uncovered 19 deficiencies less than a week before the grounding. None of the deficiencies were new, suggesting they were a continuation of 15 deficiencies spotted during two separate inspections at Fremantle on 21 & 22 July.

 

Pilots Akong Side M/V Rena

M/V Rena Will ikely Die On Astrolabe Reef

Astrolabe Reef -- Tip of The Iceberg

Double-Hulled Tanker M/T Awanuia Receiving Oil From M/V Rena

Over 1,00 Tons Off Loaded So Fart

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Svitzer Workers Fight A 22 Degree Deck To Secure The Cargo Aboard M/V Rena

Salvage Efforts As of Oct. 28 2011

• Around 882 tons of oil recovered through fuel recovery operations on board Rena (at 2pm on 28 October). This includes oil from the port side service and settling tanks.

• 1,733 tons of oil on board Rena when it grounded

• Around 350 tons of oil lost overboard off Rena initially

• 5&endash;10 tons of oil lost overnight on Saturday 22 October

• 25 crew on board Rena at time of grounding

• 35 member salvage team from the appointed salvage company Svitzer &endash; with local support teams and colleagues providing round-the-clock technical advice and analysis from Australia, Singapore and the Netherlands

Despite Valiant Efforts of Svitzer Salvage -- Cargo Has Shifted As M/V Rena Breaks On Astrolabe Reef

As M/V Rena Grinds On Astrolabe Reef -- Container Stacks Begin To Buckle & Fall

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88 Containers Are Lost Overside As of Oct. 28 2011

40 Foot Containers & Liberated Cargo Float Off M/V Rena

The Containers of M/V Rena

• 1,368 containers on board Rena at time of grounding

• 121 containers with perishable foodstuffs

• 11 containers with dangerous goods

• 88 containers (total) lost overboard

• 13 containers ashore &endash; recovered and secured

M/V Rena Container Floats Off Shore

58 Containers Remain Unaccounted As of Oct. 30 2011. Vessel skippers Were Urged To Take "Extreme Caution" In Bay of Plenty Waters.

Under-Supported Volunteers Fight The Heavy Pollution of M/V Rena

Wildlife Imact For M/V Rena - Oct. 29 2011

• 500 birds can be housed at the Wildlife treatment and rehabilitation facility established in Te Maunga

• 388 animals being cared for at the wildlife facility

• 248 clean little blue penguins

• 72 oiled little blue penguins

• 1 clean shearwater, 1 tern, 3 pied shags

• 60 rare New Zealand dotterels pre-emptively caught and held in wildlife centre

• 100 rare New Zealand dotterels in Bay of Plenty area

• 1,500 rare New Zealand dotterels in existence

• 1,335 dead oiled birds found

We Apologize For The Stark Reality of A Maritime Disaster

It is Important To Understand How Experts From Around The World Can Now Mitigate This Damage As Was Never Possible Before.

Still, The Extent To Which Man Can Effect Innocent Nature Is Profound.

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Continued Bad Weather Has Made It Too Dangerous For Divers To Continue Their Work On M/V Rena On Oct. 30

M/V Rena Experiences Exteme Buckling From The Great Crack In Her Hull

From The Cargo Letter - Oct. 30 2011 - stranded

Heavy seas have stopped divers from getting to bunker tanks below the water line after gaining earlier success in attaching hoses to pump off 1,000 tons of bunker fuel. While 7,500 volunteers registered to assist in a 30 October beach clean up, only 160 showed up for the event. National on-scene commander Nick Quinn said that if people volunteer, they need to show up for work. Fresh oil is expected on Papamoa Beach on 31 October. Continued bad weather has made it too dangerous for divers to continue their work. Bunker oil from M/V Rena is still washing upon the shore, but lighter hydraulic oil appears to be dispersing naturally. Continuing salvage efforts were suspended on 31 October. With the forecast of rough weather likely to mean more containers could be lost overboard, the salvors at Svitzer hope to fit tracking transponders to the accessible dangerous goods containers and other containers thought more likely to be lost from the vessel. Meanwhile, M/V Pencaldo has arrived on-scene from Australia with the intent of using her deck crane to offload the remaining 1,288 containers. Since only, a few containers can be offloaded each day, this remains a race against time to secure M/V Rena before she breaks up.

READER COMMENTS - Nov. 2 2011 - Contrary To Reports, The Volunteers Came

Yes, there were plenty of cleanup volunteers just after the grounding, but this year's October school holidays ran from 8 through 24 October. After the 25th the pool of available volunteers became much smaller.

Finally, thanks for your web site, and keep up the good work. Thanks for your web site, and keep up the good work.

Jay Scott

Containers Continue To Wash Off of M/V Rena

READER COMMENTS - Nov. 8 2011 - What Was The Warning?

I'd like to know is/was there anything on the reef to warn boats to stay away, or did the MV Rena run over it?
Benjamin (Bennie) P Mc Knew

Hi Bennie,

Good question you ask about warning of the reef.

First, these reefs are well know n to commercial mariners in the area.

The reefs are well marked upon the navigational charts which are rerquired to b relied upon for navigation and have guided professional mariners for hundreds of years.

More, modern vessels carry GPS equipment which warns of dangers such as Astrolabe Reef. We do not presently know the state of equipment on M/V Rena.

Michael S.McDaniel

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M/V Rena

November 5 2011 -- Removing The Fuel Continues

Double-Hulled Tanker M/T Awanuia Continues Receiving Oil From M/V Rena

From The Cargo Letter - Nov. 5 2011 - One Month Later

Salvage divers working on the M/V Rena have attached hot taps to the starboard engine as efforts to empty fuel from the stricken ship enter the final phase.

A team of salvors pumped water into M/V Rena 's starboard fuel tank overnight to allow the last remaining fuel oil to be slowly siphoned off the stricken vessel. About 358 tons of fuel oil remains in the ship's submerged starboard five tank, while an unknown amount of engine oil remains in the engine room. The two underwater taps are capable of extracting just four tonnes of fuel an hour. An Australian crane barge is on standby to start removing containers as soon as all the oil has been pumped off.

It is a month since the M/V Rena crashed into the Astrolabe Reef, off Tauranga, at 2.20am on October 5 2011.

More than 350 tons of oil spilled into the sea, killing hundreds of birds, covering Bay of Plenty beaches in black muck and leaving Maritime New Zealand with a clean-up bill that has so far topped A$14M. The M/V Rena 's captain and second officer are facing charges over the incident while the ship's owner, Costamare Shipping, has refused to say whether it will cover the bill for New Zealand's worst environmental disaster.

Yesterday divers attached two hot taps to the starboard tank and had started pumping water into it. Hot-tapping involves penetrating an oil tank underwater in a way that does not release oil into the environment. Water is pumped into the tank, forcing oil to float to the surface, which allows salvors to extract it from the ship to the bunker barge Awanuia. But a spokeswoman for Maritime New Zealand said the process would be slow. "It's a slow method, you are looking at four tons an hour and that's running at full steam as well."

"Considering that the oil is the consistency of marmite and has to be pushed through 150 meters of hose, this represents an excellent effort," salvors said.

MNZ salvage unit manager Bruce Anderson said dive teams had confirmed that the "coffer dam" or watertight barrier under construction to enable access to the starboard tank was unusable after heavy weather this week. "Given the amount of time it would take to rebuild this, they have decided to focus their efforts on hot-tapping."

Meanwhile, another salvage team was continuing to pump the lube and hydraulic oils in the engine room into a centralised tank and into M/V Awanuia. Salvage company Svitzer is also preparing to remove containers from the vessel. The crane barge ST60, which is equipped with two cranes, will undertake sea trials before it is used to remove containers once the fuel recovery is complete. Svitzer has engaged another large ocean-going barge from Singapore expected to arrive in early December. The barge can remove containers from within the ship.

On shore, clean-up operations around the Bay of Plenty continue with volunteer efforts yesterday concentrating on Papamoa Beach. Nearly 8,000 people have registered with MNZ's volunteer clean-up programme with 25 of those spending the past five days on Motiti Island where large quantities of timber and other pieces of container debris have washed up. National on-scene commander Alex van Wijngaarden said volunteers had now dedicated 13,000 hours to the clean-up.

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M/V Rena

November 15 2011

Removing The Fuel Has Ended - Successfully

Removing The Containers Begins

The Off Load of M/V Rena Will Not Be Easy

From The Cargo Letter - Nov. 15 2011 - The Oil Is Gone - Now The Containers

Salvage crews have successfully removed all the remaining oil from M/V Rena, avoiding a worse environmental disaster.

The vessel grounded on the Astrolabe Reef near Tauranga on October 5th and authorities feared the worst as about 385 tons of oil initially spilled into the ocean, fouling local beaches.

But in a stop-start effort, salvage crews began pumping oil in the days after the grounding while bad weather threatened to tear the ship apart.

On Nov. 14, Maritime New Zealand announced it had finished pumping 1,454 tons of oil from the ship and was sending a sea crane to the vessel to begin removing some of the 1,280 containers that remain on board.

M/V Rena Is In A State of Emergency

The Vessel Is About To Break Up -- Her Cargo Is About To Break Loose

Container Retrieval Barge Sea Tow 60 Gets Into Position

Sea Tow 60 Barge Along Side To Begin Her Long & Dangerous Work

M/T Go Canopus & Tugs Must Hold M/V Rena In Position For The Off Load

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Container Retrieval barge SeaTow 60 Positioned Along Side M/V Rena

Support Vessel M/V Go Canopus In Backbround

This Is An Effort of Legend

Container Retrieval Vessel SeaTow 60 In A Tricky Dance

Svitzer Salvage Cuts Containers Loose -- While Avoiding A Container Topple For Off Load By M/V SeaTow 60

The Balance Is Everything

Steve Morrow, Sea Tow 60 Barge Master - His Big Job Ahead

Despite Incredible Efforts of Svitzer Salvage, Containers of M/V Rena Reach Shore

M/V Rena Seems Doomed With A Cracked Hull -- But Her Rescue of Cargo Must Continue

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M/V Rena

November 16 2011

The First Container Is Removed - Successfully

Sea Tow 60 Barge Removes First Container From M/V Rena Late On Nov. 16 2011

It Is A Long And Dangerous Road Ahead

From The Cargo Lettrer - Nov. 17 2011 - Now The Containers

Calm conditions have allowed 15 more containers to be lifted from the stern of M/V Rena to the crane barge Sea Tow 60 (ST 60), Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) says.

This brings the total number of containers removed to 18, after three were removed Nov. 16.

MNZ Salvage Unit Manager Kenny Crawford said "With every container removed, the consequences are lessened, but every day is a new day and each container presents its own puzzle.

"Cranes cannot operate in winds greater than around 24 knots, so we are very much at the mercy of the weather. Even if it looks calm, strong winds can halt operations," Mr Crawford said.

Salvors have now fitted 220 transponders to containers aboard M/V Rena and tugs are on hand to provide additional support for vessel operations.

Containers recovered from M/V Rena are being transferred from the ST60 on to the salvage support vessel M/V Go Canopus, before being brought into port for unloading and processing as required. Container processing is being carried out by Braemar Howells.

Containers that need cleaning and treatment will be taken to the waste transfer center in Truman Lane. Harrison's Cut will be used only for submerged or floating containers, which, for whatever reason, cannot be recovered by barges and must be marshalled onto the beach for collection.

Meanwhile, National On Scene Commander Mick Courtnell said clean-up teams have had a successful few days washing down rocky foreshores.

"Water blasting around the Mount is progressing well and teams have been out washing rocks by hand at Leisure Island. Mechanical cleaning is on-going at Papamoa & Maketu and all restricted areas will be clearly signposted," he said.

Mr Courtnell reminded the public that the risk of another release of oil is still present as salvors continue to strip oil from the grounded M/V Rena. "The situation could unfold in any number of ways and we will continue to have teams and equipment ready to mobilise at a moment's notice," he said.

Sea Tow 60 Astern of M/V Rena, 6am, Nov. 18 2011

A Total of 49 Containers Removed

From The Cargo Lettrer - Nov. 21 2011 - Container Scoreboard

The work is dangerous and progress has been slow in the five days since a first containers was hoisted aboard Sea Tow 60:
• 1,368 containers on board Rena at time of grounding

• 814 containers stored below deck

• 121 containers with perishable foodstuffs

• 11 containers with dangerous goods

• 88 containers (total) lost overboard - 19 of these have been recovered

49 containers removed since container recovery began on November 16

Between 7:30am and darkness on Nov. 19, there were 9 containers removed and taken ashore

• 220 transponders fitted to containers in case containers should become lost

The New Zealand Defence Force personnel have done a brilliant job in aiding the removal of over 922 tons of oily waste from Bay of Plenty beaches. Targeted clean-up operations continue.

PB Sea-Towage

Operator of Sea-Tow 60 - Doing The Heavy Work

A Sister Barge of Sea-Tow 60 Shows The Versatility of This PB Sea-Towage Vessel Type

Sea-Tow 60 - 6,000 DWT Project Cargo Barge

General Information Dimensions

Yard: Taizhous Ship Engineering, China

Length Overall 85.34 m

Beam, Moulded 24.38 m

Built 2001

Max Operating Draft 4.6 m

Port of Registry, Flag - Avatiu, Cook Islands

Draft Lightship 1.0 m

Official Number 1312

Deck Dimensions 65.8 m x 21.3 m

Cubic Capacity 6727 m3

Operation

ST60 Is Towed Behind A Tug & Has Been Chartered By Svitzer For M/V Rena

Towing Equipment

Deck Loading 15 mt/m2

Towing Bridle 76mm studlink chain

Side Walls 4.8 m

Emergency Tow Wire

2x Winch/Windlass Fore & Aft, 15 mt line pull

DWT 6000 mt

GRT 2772 mt

RoRo Features

Removable Stern Walls for RoRo

Stern Ramp Rail

Removable Ramps

From The Cargo Lettrer - Nov. 22 2011 - Container Danger Dance

Since Nov. 16 2011, the brave engineers of Svitzer Salvage have choreographed a dangerous dance of shifting seas, a pitching vessel and balanced containers, cut loose from their stow. This is the "rubber meets the road" point where the problems of your job is just no longer worth of discussion. This is where 70,000 pound containers can unexpectedly take your life.

Svitzer Salvage Engineers Cutting Locks Connecting The Containers In Preparation For Removal

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Svitzer Salvage Engineers Atop The Container Stack -- Careful Removal From The Haystack

One False Move Is All Their Careers Are Allowed

 Svitzer Salvage Engineers Atop The Container Stack Watch This MSC Container Safely Aboard Sea-Tow 60

Which Container To Select Next? That Decision Could Cost A Life.

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M/V Rena

November 23 2011

Clean Stern Sweep -- An Amazing Engineering Feat

But Can The Vessel Be Saved?

 Svitzer Salvage Engineers Have Used Nov. 23 2011 To Clear The Stern of M/V Rena

Given The Dangers of Nov. 21 and the Teetering Container Stacks -- This Work Is A Miracle

Sea-Tow 60 Takes On Remaining Containers From The Stern of M/V Rena

An Amazing Advance From The Danger Dance of Nov. 22 2011

The Dangerous Tangle of Containers Has Been Removed By  Svitzer Salvage Engineers In A Single Day

There Are No Casualties, Despite The Dangerous Conditions.

 The Stern of M/V Rena Is Free of Containers

Nine Reefers Remain -- Perhaps A Purpose For This

 The Weight & Balance of M/V Rena Is Now Changed

Is There Hope M/V Rena Can Be Saved?

Before & After

The Stern Profile of M/V Rena Has Changed Significantly

From The Cargo Lettrer - Nov. 30 2011 - Container Scoreboard

Containers as of Nov. 30

• 1,368 containers on board Rena at time of grounding

• 547 containers stored above deck at the time of grounding

• 821 containers stored below deck at time of grounding

• 121 containers with perishable foodstuffs

• 32 containers with dangerous goods

• Estimated 87 containers (total) lost overboard &endash; 25 of these have been recovered

• 166 containers removed since container recovery began on November 16

• 219 transponders fitted to containers

The Stern Is Clear -- But There Is A Long Road Ahead

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The State of M/V Rena Remains Precarious

Electronic Sensors Reveal No Change To The State of M/V Rena

Svitzer Salvage Salvors Secure Lines To Containers For Lifting Off M/V Rena

From The Cargo Lettrer - Dec. 3 2011 - Weather slows the pace

Bad weather over the past several days has prevented any container recovery from M/V Rena. The forecast is is for heavy rain, culminating in winds of up to 25-30 knots on Dec. 4 night, with sea swells of up to 3 meters. It is unlikely any container recovery operations will take place for the next few days. Ongoing monitoring of the wreck via electronic sensors shows no change to the state of M/V Rena.

Containers Laden With Perishable Commodities Are Emptied At Truman Lane Container Processing Site

Seagulls Circle The Drain At The Truman Lane Container Processing Site

There Was About 2,904 Tons of Perishable ood On Board.

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M/V Rena

December 7 2011

Reinforcements - The Arrival of Crane Barge Smit Borneo

Our Reader Spots Crane Barge Smit Borneo Nearing Tauranga Under Tow From the M/V Svitzer Singapore

Crane Barge Smit Borneo Enters Tauranga Harbor On Dec. 7 2011 Under Tow From the M/V Svitzer Singapore

READER COMMENTS - Nov. 8 2011 - What Was The Warning?

Thanks for your great coverage on the M/V Rena salvage. Someone ought to write a book about this. Svitzer is doing a great job! The Smit Borneo salvage barge arrived yesterday from Singapore after a month enroute. It has a 54 meter pedastal crane that should speed up removal of the remaining contaniers, as well as salvage of the hull.

I suggest that you include a discussion of the law of "general averages" that may come to bite the individual shippers who may have to ante up to pay for the salvage. This helps emphasize the need for the shippers to have insurance, including insurance for the risk of "general averages."

The Rena accident is law suit city! The potential litigation is quite interesting!

John Nichols - Retired Attorney, Scottsdale, AZ

 

Crane Barge Smit Borneo At Tauranga. She Will Soon Come To The Aid of M/V Rena

Smit Borneo Gets Into Action Ob Dec. 9 2011 And Goes Big On Her First Lift

From The Cargo Lettrer - Dec. 9 2011 - Salvage Equipment Currently On Scene

• 1 Squirrel Helicopter for winching people on & off M/V Rena

• 1 C172 aircraft used for aerial observation flights

• 1 MNZ-owned oil recovery vessel, M/V Kuaka from Auckland

• 1 anchor-handling tug, M/V Go Canopus, on site for container recovery, receiving oil and capable of maintaining station in poor weather

• 1 landing craft vessel M/V Brandy Wine

• 1 barge Sea Tow 60

• 1 crane barge Smit Borneo, used for removing containers from M/V Rena

• 600 meters of ocean-going booms from across New Zealand

• Salvage equipment brought by Svitzer includes air compressors, power generators, chains, shackles, ropes, tools and oil removal equipment

 A 6 Container Stack Lifts Off M/V Rena

The 6 Container Stack Is Taken Aboard Smit Borneo

Crane Barge Smit Borneo Along Side M/V Rena

Astrolabe Reef - In Foreground - Continues To Hold It's Prey

From The Cargo Lettrer - Dec. 14 2011 - Bad Weather And A Crane Problem Bring More Delays

Container removal operations have been hampered this week by bad weather, and a technical issue with the crane on the barge Smit Borneo. A total of 206 containers have now been removed from M/V Rena. There were 1,368 containers on board M/V Rena when it ran aground and 86 containers are believed to have washed overboard on 11 October. This leaves 1,076 containers remaining on board the wreck.

The condition of Rena's hull is continuing to deteriorate, with divers identifying changes to the buckling on the starboard side this week. While the motion detectors attached to the hull of the wreck do not suggest any significant movement, M/V Rena remains in a fragile state. While container removal operations have been suspended, salvors are working on the installation of large steel patches in Rena's internal corridors, to improve buoyancy. So far, three of the patches, weighing around 700kg each, have been installed and another three close to completion of installation.

Crane Barge Smit Borneo Has Been Delayed By Bad Weather And A Crane Problem

From The Cargo Lettrer - Dec. 16 2011 - Two More Containers Over Side

Two containers were lost over the side in stormy weather on the night of Dec. 15 2011.

One damaged container, carrying aluminium chairs, has sunk. Another floating container, carrying 18 packets of timber and fitted with a transponder, is being monitored. Once located, it will be towed and placed on board the barge ST 60. The search for the sunken container, which is inside the exclusion zone, will continue.

Sensors on board M/V Rena have detected some additional minor movement, but there is no overall change to the status of the vessel. However, it still remains in fragile state.

206 Containers Have Been Removed Since Container Recovery Began On November 16 2011

Dive teams Have Identified Furthere Changes In The Buckling OnThe Starboard Side.

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M/V Rena

December 31 2011

Associated Press Exposes Problems Found Before Crash

M/V Rena with the Smit Borneo Alongside  

From The Cargo Lettrer - Dec. 30 2011 -

When M/V Rena docked in western Australia in July, 17 serious safety problems were found, according to new reports from the Associated Press. Someone had tampered with an alarm. The navigation manuals were out of date. The data recorder was still wrapped in its canvas.The violations are described in records obtained by The Associated Press under Australian freedom of information laws. Inspection reports, emails and faxes tell the story of how Australia impounded the Greek-owned vessel, which like many ships is registered in Liberia, but then released it the next day after Liberian maritime authorities intervened, essentially saying the ship was safe to sail and the problems could be fixed later.

On a calm night 10 weeks later, M/V Rena ran full-steam into a well-charted reef off the coast of New Zealand.

Whether or not the problems found in July contributed to the navigational error in October or the subsequent loss of cargo, experts say the Australian records paint a picture of an aging ship in poor repair and highlight a dangerous cost-cutting culture under the so-called flag-of-convenience system.

Costamare, the owner, declined to go into details about the problems identified in Australia but pointed out that the ship eventually passed all inspections. "We know that the vessel complied with all necessary regulatory requirements," the company wrote in an emailed statement.

Two weeks before M/V Rena arrived at the Australian port of Fremantle on July 21, authorities in Shenzhen, China, found 18 problems with the ship but allowed it to sail on.

Inspectors from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority detained the ship in Fremantle, a serious step reserved for about one in every 18 foreign vessels. They cited problems with the securing of the hatch and the shipping containers and the overall lack of maintenance.

Later emails from the Australian inspectors show they worried the cargo might not remain secure in rough weather.

Crew members fixed some problems quickly. They got hold of updated navigation manuals, which alert mariners of what to expect en route. The crew also removed a delay mechanism that had been wired into a bilge alarm, which alerts them if oil is being pumped overboard with water that collects in the bottom of the ship. The ship's electrician could not explain why the delay mechanism had been added, according to inspection reports.

For other problems, the captain turned to the Liberia Bureau of Maritime Affairs, which contracts with an American company to run its ship registry.

The Virginia-based office sent the captain a series of faxes on July 21 granting the ship one-month exemptions for some of the problems. Australian authorities could have overruled the exemptions but elected not to.

Records show Australian inspectors were particularly concerned with the rusted and improperly tensioned hatch cleats and the ill-fitting pins for the cargo.

In one email to colleagues, inspector Dave Anderson said the exemption didn't cite any evidence for the strength of the modified lashing equipment. "Any old bit of bar made into a 'pin' will do as long as the originals are 'not available...........,'" he wrote, ending with an extended ellipsis.

Colleague Naweed Omar added that a photo of one of the modified pins "is not very convincing."

While letting the ship depart, Australia also gave it three months to demonstrate that its safety system was in compliance. The Rena would run aground before the deadline was up.

"There are always concerns," said Mal Larsen, a spokesman for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. "But ultimately, the guys on the ground, the inspectors, found it was acceptable."

Scott Bergeron, an American who is chief executive of the Liberian ship registry, said the requests for exemptions weren't unusual. He likened it to authorities giving a motorist a month to get a broken headlight fixed rather than impounding the car.

He said the detention of the M/V Rena raised red flags in his office and that Liberian inspectors boarded the ship two weeks later in Sydney to make their own assessment. In his opinion, he said, the owners of the ship are generally good operators but the Rena "needed to tidy up its operation."

The ship passed subsequent inspections by Australian authorities in Melbourne and Sydney.

But on Sept. 28, inspectors in the New Zealand port of Bluff found 19 problems on the ship, though none were considered serious enough to prevent M/V Rena from sailing. New Zealand's maritime agency hasn't released those records, although it characterized them on its website as a follow-up to see if M/V Rena had resolved the problems found in China.

One week later, at 2 a.m. on Oct. 5, M/V Rena was traveling at high speed when it ran aground on the Astrolabe Reef near the port of Tauranga. The reef has been identified on charts for almost 200 years.

Bergeron said the inspection problems identified in China, Australia and New Zealand are an important part of the Liberian agency's probe into the accident.

"There was gross navigational error on the part of the onboard crew," Bergeron said. "But there are likely to be many reasons why it got to that point. It could be external influences, or that the crew was not properly rested."

Captain Faces New Charges

The captain and the navigating officer face criminal charges of operating a ship in a dangerous or risky manner, polluting the environment and altering the ship's documents after the crash. Maritime New Zealand, which is conducting its own investigation, rejected an AP request for transcripts of interviews with the captain and crew, saying it could prejudice the criminal case.

The captain and 2nd Office of M/V Rena remain on bail, but now face additional charges of "wilfully attempted to pervert the course of justice" by altering ship's documents following the grounding under S117(e) & 66 of the Crimes Act. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 7 years in prison -- with the captain facing 4 charges and the the 2nd Office facing 3 charges.

The original charge for both men was under section 338 (1B) and (15B) of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA), which relates to the "discharge of harmful substances from ships or offshore installations". That crime carries a maximum penalty of a fine of US$300,000, or 2 years' imprisonment, and US$10,000 for every day the offending continues Both also face a single charge each under section 65 of the Maritime Transport Act 1994 (MTA), "for operating a vessel in a manner causing unnecessary danger or risk".  The MTA charge carries a maximum penalty of US$10,000 and imprisonment of 12 months.

Salvage crews are continuing the painstaking task of removing more than 1,000 20-foot (6-meter) and 40-foot (12-meter) containers that remain on the crippled ship, which still sits on the reef, grinding in the swells and threatening to break apart. Three more containers fell off in recent days.

Smit Borneo And Sea Tow 60 Side By Side with M/V Rena In The Background.

282 Containers Removed Since Container Recovery Began On November 16

M/V Rena Container Scoreboard

• 1,368 containers on board M/V Rena at time of grounding

• 547 containers stored above deck at the time of grounding

• 821 containers stored below deck at time of grounding

• 121 containers with perishable foodstuffs

• 32 containers with dangerous goods

• Estimated 89 containers (total) lost overboard &endash; 25 of these have been recovered

• 282 containers removed since container recovery began on November 16

• 219 transponders fitted to containers

Smit Borneo And Sea Tow 60 Side By Side.

Salvors Onboard M/V Rena Readying Containers Ror Lifting Off The Deck.

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OUR COVERAGE CONTINUES On PAGE 2

McD
M/V Rena - CONTINUE TO PAGE 2


Shippers Must Have Quality Marine Cargo Insurance ........ Because......... "Ship Happens! ©"

To Repeat -- No Matter How Careful You Are -- Or Who You Hire ....... "Ship Happens! ©"

Get Your "Ship Happens! ©" Gear!

Visit The Cargo Law Ship's Store For Great Industry Gift Ideas!

Visit The Cargo Law Ship's Store For Great Industry Gift Ideas!

Get Your "Ship Happens! ©" Shirts, Hats & Other Cool Gear!


The Dedication of This Feature Is Simple: To The Crew of M/V Rena And Their Families.


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 "Acute Rena Failure" PAGE SPECIAL FEATURES:

Some of Our Fire At Sea Features:
"Great Misfortune"- M/V Hyundai Fortune - March 2006

M/T Vicuna Explodes - for Jan. 2005

"T-E-U Bar-Be-Cue" - aftermath of the M/V Hanjin Pennsylvania Loss - Nov. 2002

"Thar She Blows!" - M/V Hanjin Pennsylvania - Nov. 2002

"Meals: Ready To Explode" - Navy Barbecue at Guam June 2001

And ..... "Fighting Fires On Mars" - Jan. 2008

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 Contributors For The "Acute Rena Failure" Feature

Our Contributor for this feature is:
  Simon Dutto

Ashley Black - UK

William Cooke - Hawaii

Todd Drake

Ben Gundry

Keith Hadland

David Kempster - Australia

Stuart Midgley - Duck Brothers Transport Pty Ltd, , Australia

John Nichols - Scottsdale, AZ

Jude Ravo

Reuben

The Cargo Letter appreciates the continuing efforts of these valued contributors.


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.  


Other Great Disasters of our Time

The Cargo Letter Photo Gallery of Transport Loss - Items Below Are Only A Sample

"Japan Tsunami: The Shore Ships of Sendai 'Part 2" - March 11 2011

"Japan Tsunami: The Shore Ships of Sendai" - Just Amazing - March 11 2011

"Premature Debark" - March 23 2011

"Japan Tsunami: Port of Sendai" - March 11 2011

"The Parcel Pool" - Toll Logistics Brisbane Floods - Mar. 2011

"Gear To Rail Fail" - MV Beluga Endurance - Jan. 2011

"Becoming The Tuna Can" - F/V Apollo S - Jan. 2011

"Plugging Up The Hooghly" - M/V Tiger Spring Jan. 8 2011

"Jork'd In The Open Ocean" - Oct. 21 2010

"How To Join Your Tuna" - Oct. 17 2010

"Discovery of The Black Pearl"- October 7 2010

"Haystack Hits Needle"- Sept. 18 2010

"Training For Disaster At Wild River" - August 29 2010

"Mumbai Departure" - M/V MSC Chitra - Aug. 2010

"Taken For Granite" - M/V Sophie Oldendorff July 4 2010

"Going Strait" - M/V Zhong Xing - June 2 2010

"Lost Horizons" - SSV Deep Horizon - April 29 2010

"Coaling On The Great Barrier Reef" - April 3 2010

"Poor Margaet, She's Just Blasted" - March 8 2010

"The Prisoners of Bothnia" - March 6 2010

"Getting Gil?" - M/V Ady Gil & High Seas Adventure - Feb. 7 2010

"Bear Eats Cub" - Jan. 30 2010

"Life & Death At Port -au-Prince" - Jan. 12 2010

"Royal Air Flight 988 Down - But Why?" - Jan. 5 2010

"Miracle At Kingston" - Dec. 31 2009

"Did You Hear That?" - Dec. 26 2009

"Star Crossed" - JDS Kurama - Dec. 1 2009

"General Motors Increases Training" - Nov. 28 2009

"Singapore Sling" - M/V MSC Kalina - Nov. 12 2009

"Road Warrior" - Important Moments In Transport History - Nov. 2009

"The Bridge On The River Shetrumji" - India Road Trip - Nov. 2009

"Make 25 Knots, Then Sit" - M/V Marko Polo - Nov. 2009

"Reefer Madness" - M/V Vega Gotland - Oct. 2009

"Meet Me At The Roundabout" - M/V MCS Nikita - Sept. 2009

"Auckward Straddle" - Sept. 2009

"Death of M/V Ioannis N.V." - August 2009

"Big Bunch 'O Black Barges - Beached" - Barge Margaret

"Walvis Wollover" - June 2009

"Pacific Mis-Adventure" - May 2009

"MV Maersk Alabama - 206 Year Deja Vu" - April 2009

"The Retaking of M/V Maersk Alabama" - April 2009

"Miracle At Schiphol" - Flight TK 1951 - March. 2009

"Do Not Chill" - FedEx life with the ATR-42 - March. 2009

"Miracle On The Hudson" - Flight 1549 - Jan. 2009

"The Attack On M/V Zhen Hua 4" - Dec. 2008

"The Taking of MT Biscaglia" - Jan. 2009

"M/V Ciudad de Ushuaia Stuck At The Pole" - Dec. 2008

"The Taking of M/T Sirius Star" - Somalia Pirates Take Supertanker - Stakes Raised - Nov.- Jan. 2008

"Fedra Backs In" - Death of M/V Fedra" - Oct. 2008

"Tank You, From The Somali Pirates" - Somalia - M/V Faina - Sept.- Jan. 2009

"The Death of Hercules" - Nov. 2008

"JAXPORT Jumble" - August 2008

"Callsign Connie: 44 Tragic Days" - July 2008

"Too Little Runway - Too Much Plane" - TACA Flt 390 - June 2008

"Recurring Dream" - M/V Norwegian Dream - May 2008

"Paradise & Pirates" - S/V Le Ponant - April 2008

"The Light At The End of The Tunnel" - M/V Zhen Hua 10 & 23 - Mar. 2008

"Mess At Manzanillo" - M/V CMA CGM Dahlia - Mar. 2008

"Big Battered Banana Boat" - M/V Horncliff - Feb. 2008

"Back To The Beach" - M/V Riverdance - Feb. 2008

"Glider Operations At Heathrow" -- B-777 Crash - Jan. 2008

"Fighting Fires On Mars"- Martin Mars - Dec. 2007

"Steeplechase"- A340 - Nov. 2007

"Explorer Ship Down" - M/V Explorer - Nov. 2007

"Kwanyang Crane Kaboom" - Nov. 2007

"Den Den Done" - M/V Denden - Sept. 2007

"For The "L" of It" - M/V Action Alpha - August 2007

"Stack Attack!" - M/V Ital Florida - July 2007

"Pepito Flores Did Not Need To Die " - OUR INVESTIGATION RESULTS

"Singles Only" -- Our One Photo Disasters

These Are Only Examples

"Riding Down The Marquis" - M/V Rickmars Dalian - June2007

"Carrying Coal To Newcastle" - M/V Pasha Bulker - June 2007

"Between A Yacht & A Hard Place" M/V Madame Butterfly - May 2007

"Boxing Up The Rhine" M/V Excelsior - April 2007

"Best Worst Laid Plans?" M/V Republica di Genoa - March 2007

"Crack'n On The Sidmouth" - M/V MSC Napoli - Jan. 2007 - Disaster In Real Time

"Full Speed Ahead" - M/V Alva Star - Nov. 2006

"Where The Trade Winds Blew" - Oct. 2006

"Maersk Montevideo Melee!" - M/V Leda Maersk - Oct. 2006

"Laying Down On The Job" - M/V Cougar Ace -- Aug. 2006 -- Amazing !

"Vine Ripened Tires" - M/V Saga Spray -- May 2006 -- Amazing !

"Mis-Fortune" - M/V Hyundai Fortune - March 2006

"Scheldt Snafu!" - M/V Grande Nigeria - Feb. 2006

"A Day A The Beach - M/V APL Panama - Jan. 2006 - OUR EPIC COVERAGE

"NO Rails" - destruction of New Orleans - Dec. 2005

"Backhaul !" - for July 2005

"The Boeing Tri-Motor" - for April 2005

"Catch of The Day" - for March 2005

"One Brick Short of A Runway" - for Jan. 2005

"Taichung Tumble" - May 2009

"World's Most Stupid Pirates" - May 2009

"LAX Lunch Deja Vu" - May 2009

M/T Vicuna Explodes - for Jan. 2005

"Unstacked" - overboard & Dr. Beach - Nov. 2004

"Coal Face" - the cargo was danger - July 2004

"Super Loss" - March 2004

"On A Wing & A Prayer" - Jan. 2004

"Stepping In It" - Dec. 2003

"Angel Fire" - Nov. 2003

"Broken Spirit" - M/V Tasman Spirit - Aug. 2003

"Denise & Polargo" - a love story - July 2003

"Columbia River Round Up" - June 2003

"Keel Hualed" - M/V Hual Europe - May 2003

"Thrice Bitten" -- M/V Tricolor - Jan. 2003

"Ramp-Age" - Feb. 2003

"Piñata" - breaking the box - Jan. 2003

"Halifax Hash"--M/V Maersk Carolina - Jan. 2003

"Thar She Blows!" - M/V Hanjin Pennsylvania - Nov. 2002

"T-E-U Bar-Be-Cue" - aftermath of M/V Hanjin Pennsylvania

"Container Pool" - a mystery - May 2002

"Strangers On My Flight" -- by Frank Sinatra - don't blame us - we only report this stuff!

"Dropping In On The Trucker" - it happened again - April 2002

"UNDER Achiever" - tell your friends ! - March 2002

Tell It To The U.S. Marines! - A Symbol of Our Day of Infamy - Sept. 11

Heavy Metal - lifting the un-liftable object - Disaster at Monrovia July 2001

Rail Mate -- an Egyptian rail loss - Tragedy At Ain Sokhna July 2001

Meals: Ready To Explode - Navy container barbecue at Guam! June 2001

America West Kisses Concrete M/V Ville De Orion - stack shift at LAX

U.S. Navy EP- 3 -- China Hostage Situation - Spring 2001

Attack On USS Cole (DDG-67) - - Dramatic Photos!

M/V OOCL America - Feb. 2000

M/V APL China - world's greatest container disaster - Nov. 1998

M/V New Carissa - the ship that would not die - 1999

M/V Tampa Maersk "on a dock diet"

Hanjin's Bad Stab - Under The Dock At Pusan, Korea - Exclusive Photo!

The Complete Cargo Letter Photo Gallery of Transport Loss

 

 

 

 

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