On 27 November 2011, the 34 year old Cook Islands-registered general cargo ship Swanland experienced a structural failure when heading directly into rough seas and gale force winds while on passage from Llanddulas, Wales to Cowes, Isle of Wight with a cargo of limestone. The vessel sank about 17 minutes later.
Two of the vessel’s eight crew managed to swim clear and were rescued from a liferaft. The body of the chief officer was recovered from the sea during an extensive air and sea search but the remaining crew were not found. There was no significant pollution.
The wreck of Swanland was subsequently found 12 miles off the Welsh coast in a depth of approximately 80m. Sonar and underwater surveys showed that the vessel was inverted on the seabed; the hull appeared to be in one piece. The upper part of the vessel’s structure had failed in the midships region, on both the starboard and port sides. The investigation identified that the major factors contributing to the structural failure were:
• The limestone was a high density cargo that had been effectively loaded as a single pile within the central section of the hold. As a result, significant stresses were generated in the vessel’s midships section.
• The stresses in the midships section were exacerbated by the rough seas in which the wavelength was similar to the length of the vessel.
• Swanland’s longitudinal strength had probably weakened significantly over the previous 2½ years through corrosion and wastage. The maintenance and repair of the vessel had lacked focus and oversight; no structural repairs had been undertaken since 2009.
Other contributing factors included: non-compliance with the International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargo Code, insufficient loading information, a lack of effective safety management, poor quality of survey and audit, lack of oversight of the classification society by the Flag State and the financial pressures of operating this type of vessel in the current economic downturn. The investigation also identified several safety issues concerning the immersion suits and lifejackets available on board the vessel.
Sadly, none of these factors are new. Swanland is one of 248 general cargo ships that are known to have foundered worldwide since 2002 with the loss of over 800 seafarers; 226 of the vessels were 15 years old or more, 139 of which were 27 years old or more. Concerns surrounding the safety and high loss rates of similar general cargo ships have been repeatedly raised at the International Maritime Organization. However, progress to address the problems appears to have been slow. It is hoped that the loss of Swanland and her six crew will be a catalyst for the work already being undertaken by the International Maritime Organization to tackle the global issue of general cargo ship safety.
The Cook Islands has undertaken to ensure that the findings of this investigation are taken into account at the International Maritime Organization when future measures to improve general cargo ship safety and the development of goal-based standards for life-saving appliances are decided. It has also started to take action aimed at improving the quality of the ships accepted onto its register and the oversight of the recognised organisations which are authorised to act on its behalf.
Action taken by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and a recommendation made to Lloyds Register are intended, through the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on port state control and the International Association of Classification Societies respectively, to promote and improve the safe carriage of solid bulk cargoes on general cargo ships.
Recommendations have been made to the International Naval Surveys Bureau which seek to improve the quality of the classification society’s survey, audit and training regimes.
Recommendations have also been made to Torbulk Limited, Swanland’s ship manager, that are aimed at ensuring: solid bulk cargoes are safely carried on all its vessels and; crews are familiar with and well drilled in the use of life-saving appliances on board its vessels.
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June 13, 2013