An Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation interim report outlines the sequence of events leading up to the collision of a container ship with the berthed tall ship STS Leeuwin II in
An Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation interim report outlines the sequence of events leading up to the collision of a container ship with the berthed tall ship STS Leeuwin II in Fremantle last August.
The 333m, Singapore-flagged container ship Maersk Shekou was being piloted towards its assigned berth in Fremantle’s inner harbor when it collided with and substantially damaged STS Leeuwin II alongside Victoria Quay on the morning of August 30, 2024.
The container ship had arrived off Fremantle eight days prior to the accident.
The vessel and its crew waited a week offshore, first due to industrial action at the port and then due to unfavorable weather, before two harbor pilots boarded just before 5am on the day of the accident.
“During the initial southerly transit, wind gusts of up to 50 knots from the south-west, almost on the bow of the vessel, were being encountered,” explained ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell.
“Around an hour later, as the ship entered port, three tugs were connected but with persistent winds now on the starboard quarter, up to 30° of port helm was required to maintain the course.”
As the Shekou’s bow was in line with South Mole, the
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