Insufficient stability blamed for turning ship sideways

Anchorage Daily News ^ | July 26, 2006 at 03:53 PM | RACHEL D'ORO

[skeptoid]

The Cougar Ace was thrown sideways when the massive ship's ballast tank was adjusted in the open seas of the North Pacific, a representative of the vessel owner said Wednesday.

"There clearly was imbalance in the intake of ballast water. The company investigation ultimately will tell us what caused that imbalance," said Greg Beuerman, a spokesman for Tokyo-based Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, which owns the 654-foot car carrier.

Two days after the bruised and battered crew was hoisted to safety, the disabled ship remained floating on its side 230 miles south of Adak Island in Alaska's Aleutian chain. ..... ....... Crowley tug Sea Victory left Seattle on Tuesday night and was expected to reach the Cougar Ace on Aug. 2 .......

[skeptoid]

Doesn't look like she's settleing and the USCG says the list is 60 degrees.

I'm still thinking about the potential gasoline vapors in the spaces onboard. There are 4,813 vehicles aboard. If each one has one gallon of gasoline, ..... but then I read that they use chains to secure the cars. It's cone by a large longshore crew who know their onions.

This hull and cargo may be salvaged in the next couple of weeks.

[Toby06]

I'd hate to have that on my resume, which the captain and ballast officer will need to find their new jobs.

[proud_yank]

Wow. Hopefully its taken care of soon. The last thing needed is for spills, etc.

[ccmay]

This hull and cargo may be salvaged in the next couple of weeks.

Now that the crew has abandoned ship, isn't it the case that she is a valuable prize of salvage, free for the taking of whomever manages to tow her to port?

I bet the tugboats are racing each other there already.

-ccm

[spokeshave]

Hey Yakamoto san....hold my saki while I tweak the ballast line......the second valve clockwise....Oh yeah.....that's it ...Wrench...wrench.....w....r..............

[rottndog]

This is a fine candidate for the oops list.

http://www.micom.net/oops/

[Toby06]

I doubt the crew were japanese, too expensive!

[Experiment 6-2-6]

Now that the crew has abandoned ship, isn't it the case that she is a valuable prize of salvage, free for the taking of whomever manages to tow her to port?

Salvage rights apply, but it's quite lengthy to actually get compensation. It's easier to contract, which the owners have done..

[Experiment 6-2-6]

There may have been shifting of cargo.

Chains are there to keep them from moving, not against gravity.

I suspect a number of cars have slid, making the list worse.

[proud_yank]

Probably had some 'non-documented workers' to do the jobs that the Japanese won't do.

[BladeLWS]

Um yea, but I'm pretty sure the US Coast Guard cutter sitting right beside it might have something to say if some guy came around with his boat and tried to tow it off without their permission...

[JennysCool]

Insufficient stability blamed for turning ship sideways

[skeptoid]

Doubt no more, ...my FRiend.

From the press release July 25, 2006 on the MOI website:

4. Profile of Cougar Ace Gross tons: 55,328 tons Type of vessel: Car carrier Built: October 1993 Flag : Singapore Seafarers: 23 in total: 2 Singaporeans, 8 Myanmars, 13 Filipinos

You are correct, Sir!

[skeptoid]

Try this one and do not bother to download the Japanese popup (if it pops up on ya).

[KellyAdmirer]

I wonder if they are predicting any bad weather in those parts before the tug gets there....

[rawhide]

Maybe they can right her by pumping out the excess ballast water? It looks like it can be salvaged?

[Rte66]

There must be a whole lot more ships out on the open seas floating sideways than I ever imagined.

The Crown Princess cruise ship last week injured over 100 passengers when it tilted just 15% and it had done something similar just a few months before that. Theirs was "human error."

[Dumpster Baby]

There must be a whole lot more ships out on the open seas floating sideways than I ever imagined

This is becoming more common as ships, like cruise ships, are built higher and more top heavy. I can't see how most of those cruise ships and container ships stay upright in heavy weather.

[babble-on]

why does it seem inevitable to me that I will someday end up owning one of those cars that has been hanging by a chain in the North Pacific

[thackney]

Mazda says 4,700 brand-new vehicles remain in chains below decks

By RACHEL D'ORO
The Associated Press

Published: July 27, 2006
Last Modified: July 27, 2006 at 02:45 AM

The Cougar Ace was thrown sideways when the massive ship's ballast tank was adjusted in the open seas of the North Pacific, a representative of the vessel owner said Wednesday.


"There clearly was imbalance in the intake of ballast water. The company investigation ultimately will tell us what caused that imbalance," said Greg Beuerman, a spokesman for Tokyo-based Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, which owns the 654-foot car carrier.

Two days after the bruised and battered crew was hoisted to safety, the disabled ship remained floating on its side 230 miles south of Adak Island in the Aleutian chain. Still unknown was the fate of the nearly 5,000 cars, mostly Mazdas, secured in compartments with heavy chains inside the vessel. Watertight compartments and doors in the ship could be contributing to the ship's buoyancy, Beuerman said.

Coast Guard officials said the Honolulu-based cutter Rush will remain at the remote site until a salvage tow arrives next week to retrieve the Singapore-flagged ship. No oil has been detected around the ship other than the light sheen already reported, said Petty Officer Jesami Statesir. The ship had been carrying 430 metric tons of fuel oil and 112 metric tons of diesel fuel.

excerpted
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/8010116p-7903117c.html