Taharoa Express

[raybnz]

I found this article in my email this morning. Cannot find it posted anywhere else.

Bulk carrier listing off North Island coast
22 June 2007
Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) says it is closely tracking the progress of the bulk carrier Taharoa Express, which is listing after its load shifted in heavy swells.

The vessel reported to Maritime New Zealand at 2.30am today that it had a problem after its load of iron sand shifted while in rough sea about 42 nautical miles (78km) south west of Cape Egmont.

The vessel is intact and not taking on any water, and all 25 crew are safe, Maritime New Zealand said.
Conditions in the area are rough, with five to six metre swells in the open water.
Maritime New Zealand said it was concerned and is keeping a close eye on the situation, at this point there are no reports of the vessel being in danger or distress.

The Port of Taharoa pilot and loading master is on board the carrier and is overseeing its progress as it heads for the more sheltered waters of Golden Bay.

It is expected to reach Golden Bay area about 1pm. Plans are in place to respond if the situation changes.



Taharoa Express (74,364 gross, built 1990)

(At 0300 22 June local time, vessel was reported listing 17 degrees, with duct keel flooded. Understand vessel was loading ironsands at Taharaoa offshore terminal pm 20 June when had to leave SBM due to bad weather and duct keel leaking from cargo hold (loading ironsand slurry).

At 1400 local NZ time vessel on LMIU in 40-37S, 173-25E, heading west at 8 knots for anchorage in Tasman Bay to resolve problems. Understand that duct keel flooding already reduced.

Understand about 45,000 tonnes of ironsands slurry and 1,200 tonnes HFO on board.)

[lagerstedt]

Attached is a photo of the bulk carrier. Photo by the Nelson Mail. The Taharoa Express runs a regular run from Taharoa to China and Japan. This is not the first time it has got into trouble off the NZ coast. Last time the 140,000 tonne ship lost power and drifted towards the beach southwest of Auckland.

Regards
Blair
NZ

[J Boyde]

The TV has had a short, but interesting view of her. It seems that the slurry may have been a little too loose. To date thay are not giving any one any blame. I noted the reference to a Tahora port, I thought she was loaded in open water.
Jim B

[non descript]

From Tradewinds today:

Kiwi capesize crisis


NYK’s 146,859-dwt bulker Taharoa Express (built 1990) has run into trouble in rough seas off the coast of New Zealand.



NYK’s 146,859-dwt bulker Taharoa Express (built 1990)At one stage the bulk iron sand carrier was listing at 20 degrees after the harsh weather conditions caused the ship’s cargo to shift.

Maritime New Zealand said the ship first ran into trouble at about 14:30GMT on Thursday off the Taranaki coast

Authorities said the ship would not be moved until the weather improved and they were satisfied the ship was safe.

The ship was converted from a conventional bulker to its present role as a slurried iron sand carrier at the Tsurumi Works of Japan's NKK in 1999.

It transports about 700,000 tons of iron sand annually from Taharoa to five major Japanese steel makers.

A Maritime NZ spokeswoman said seawater was being pumped into internal tanks, and the list had been reduced to 18 degrees.

The “huge operation” to right the ship was still under way, with two more pumps arriving today, she added.

The weather-related incident is not being treated as an accident but the Transport Accident Investigation Commission will investigate how it happened.

By Dale Wainwright in Singapore

[Wallyh]

Was harbourmaster for the Taharoa ironsands terminal where the mighty Taharoa Express loads her cargo of ironsands, it is a SBM anchor about 1,7 miles of the coast at Taharoa in the Waikato on the West Coast of NZ about 50 miles north of New Plymouth. She loads her cargo as a slurry from which the iron sands quickly precipitate out and the water is channeled over weirs and down to suctions to be pumped over side. Her porblem was they couldn't pump the water off fast enough, she had to leave the buoy because of bad weather and the cargo shifted. She used to give me a few sleepless nights as harbourmaster I can tell you

Wallyh

[JoK]

That must be a hairy thing to load at the best of times!

The free surface effect must be huge and once she goes over on a list it must take a huge amount of ballast to get her upright.

Would that be the case Wallyh?

[raybnz]

I am told the list has been corrected with the help of earthmoving machinery (Diggers) which lifted out by helicopters and she is now on her way to Japan.

[Wallyh]

JoK

Whilst at the buoy she normally sits head to sea, so the main impact of the water movement is against the thwartship bulkheads, the free surface effect may be quite high but as she loading ore sands in alternate hatches she has a large GM anyway, she has to stop loading at least once a loading to de water, and she was allowed to load over her marks on the buoy and then de water the majority of the free water before departing the buoy, however it is an on going process whilst she is on passage.

Wallyh

[JoK]

Thanks Wallyh for the information.
I never heard of loading slurry until now.