The Australian transportation Safety Bureau (ATSB) announced that the investigation into the loss of containers overboard from YM Efficiency, off Newcastle, on 1st June 2018, is continuing.
The Liberian-flagged container ship ‘YM Efficiency’, owned by the Chinese company Yang Ming Marine Transport, was en route from Kaohsiung to Sydney, loaded with 3307 TEU onboard, when it encountered inclement weather, causing a total of 83 containers to go overboard.
The investigation is currently in the examination and analysis phase, ATSB said in a new statement.
During this phase, evidence is reviewed and evaluated to determine its relevance, validity, credibility and, relationship to other evidence and, to the occurrence.
Examination and analysis requires reviewing complex sets of data, and available evidence can be vague, incomplete and or contradictory. This may prompt the collection of more evidence, which in turn needs to be analysed and examined, potentially adding to the length of an investigation,
…it explained.
Since the publication of the preliminary report, further evidence was collected from the ship’s owner and operator, ship’s officers, classification society and cargo securing equipment manufacturer.
That evidence is now being reviewed and analysed to identify any contributing factors that led to the occurrence and any other factors that could initiate safety action that reduce the risk of future similar occurrences.
The investigation’s main lines of enquiry involve analysis of the ship’s container stow in relation to the requirements of the ship’s cargo securing manual, ship’s officers’ knowledge and use of the ship’s loading computer system, the container stowage planning process and post-incident actions and events.
Shortly after the occurrence, AMSA issued a Marine Notice to remind vessel owners, operators and masters of the need to stow and secure cargo containers in accordance with approved arrangements.
If a PSC inspection identifies that:
- The weight distribution and stack weights are not in compliance with the approved cargo stowage arrangements;
- The securing arrangements are not in accordance with the approved Cargo Securing Manual;
- The Cargo Securing Manual does not adequately cover the cargo being carried,
…AMSA will take the necessary steps to bring the ship into compliance.
Currently, the anticipated completion and publication date of the final report is during the fourth quarter of 2019. Should any safety issues be identified during any phase of the investigation, the ATSB will immediately notify those affected and seek safety action to address the issue.
