Hey forum. So last week a container ship has gone aground due to terrible navigation in my hometown.
It is looking to be New Zealands worst ecological disaster ever.
This week the army has mobilised and a few hundred combined regular and territorial force soldiers are working to clean the beaches. Looks like one of the best summer locations in New Zealand could be wrecked for months!
Cleaning oil off beaches is crap,
Im waiting out in barracks now for tomorrow and another day on the beach, and its raining all week to boot! Thought I would share, got nothing else to do as my section ran out of conversation topics hours ago!

I've just finished watching an interview with a NZ TV crew.

As an ex-seafarer I am fully aware that these things do happen, and although I don't wish to sound racist or small minded, it is a fact that the risk of such happenings increases with ships manned with personnel from "cheap" countries.

This is for a number of reasons, poor training and supervision, long hours, high crew turn over, language problems,... any number of things. Although I realise the the skippers of these vessels are ultimately responsible for any accidents involving, the navigation and safe passage of the ships, modern crewing numbers and a combination of the problems mentioned earlier means that we are going to see more of these type of accidents.

Too many companies are relying less on competency and more on modern technology, which is OK until the poo hits the fan. It will make interesting reading when the accident report is released.

In the meantime, the people and wildlife of the Bay of Plenty will suffer,... for many years.

Fifteen years ago I was on a 150,000 ton crude oil tanker where the crew was reduced from the recommended 38 to 17. Only one labor saving device was fitted, a pilot ladder hoist, because it was physically impossible for it to be recovered with the number of persons available at sailing time. The work schedule was not changed, and all of the promised alterations to make the ship safe with such a small crew were never fitted nor were the new maintenance schedules implemented.

What has happened is that shipping companies and their government regulators have compromised vessels safety for increased profits. This is often bought about because countries with higher living standards are having to compete with vessels manned by third world Officers and crew. Only token inspection and regulation of these "Ships of Shame" is allowing this to happen.

It's sad but unavoidable. There will be a hearing and the skipper (company) will get a slap on the wrist fine and nothing will be learned from it.

My last job in the industry was as a Ship's Manager and owner's personal representative on board, I had Russian Officers and a Chinese crew. (That's another story in itself). I was essentially put out of the industry two years earlier than I had planned, due to stress related illness.

That's the type of thing that is causing many of these accidents.

Originally Posted by headwards

Hey forum. So last week a container ship has gone aground due to terrible navigation in my hometown.
It is looking to be New Zealands worst ecological disaster ever.
This week the army has mobilised and a few hundred combined regular and territorial force soldiers are working to clean the beaches. Looks like one of the best summer locations in New Zealand could be wrecked for months!
Cleaning oil off beaches is crap,
Im waiting out in barracks now for tomorrow and another day on the beach, and its raining all week to boot! Thought I would share, got nothing else to do as my section ran out of conversation topics hours ago!

Look at the bright side you shouldn't have a shortage of meat patties for the BBQ.

I am somewhat amazed the ship ended up where it did as it seems an unusual spot to run aground for such a big ship.

Those meat patties are ****ed man. **** is all going ti hell

Apparently its a shortcut some ofthem use when they need to make timings. Its well up on the reef for sure.

Originally Posted by headwards

Apparently its a shortcut some ofthem use when they need to make timings. Its well up on the reef for sure.

No ****, apparently he hit the reef at full speed.

I am a little surprised there has been no attempt to remove some of the containers though as that has to adding to the instability now.

Anyway if you find any Monaro's let me know will ya.

I see that a family who had their home destroyed in the Christchurch earthquake, had all of their new furniture and personal possessions in a container onboard.

Poor buggers,..

Originally Posted by senojekips

I see that a family who had their home destroyed in the Christchurch earthquake, had all of their new furniture and personal possessions in a container onboard.

Poor buggers,..

They have certainly had a bad year but I am guessing they will be covered by insurance.

I also assume that once the oil is pumped out they will try and recover some of the containers so maybe they will get lucky who knows, I can't imagine they are going to re-float the ship as it appears to have some large cracks in it and looks on the verge of breaking up.

He ran something like 135 metres up on the reef! I wonder what it felt like being on the ship, the crew werent hurt but surely they spilled their drinks.
Ive yet to see a monaro but ive sure seen lots of politicians!
If you watch the news ive made an appearance the last coupla days =p

Originally Posted by headwards

He ran something like 135 metres up on the reef! I wonder what it felt like being on the ship, the crew werent hurt but surely they spilled their drinks.
Ive yet to see a monaro but ive sure seen lots of politicians!
If you watch the news ive made an appearance the last coupla days =p

Well you know how it goes, where ever there is garbage and photographers there are politicians.

John Key show up to smile his way through another disaster?