DCN October Edition 2019
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TMC’s Captain Roger King<br />
When disaster<br />
comes from afar<br />
management plan which was<br />
prepared by PacTow and then<br />
jointly presented to the Port<br />
Moresby Harbour Master<br />
and Papua New Guinea<br />
National Maritime Safety<br />
Authority. This included a<br />
request for the provision<br />
of a place of refuge, risk<br />
assessment, measures<br />
for protection of the<br />
environment, casualty<br />
security, provision of safe<br />
anchorage and a depollution<br />
and salvage<br />
plan for the dredge.<br />
TMC MARINE<br />
Captain Roger C.King, director of TMC<br />
Marine and member of Lloyds Panel of<br />
SCRs, discusses several notable marine<br />
casualties that TMC Marine’s Australian<br />
office has attended recently<br />
In February, TMC attended the Solomon Trader casualty, which<br />
had grounded on Rennell Island in the Solomon Group. Rennell<br />
Island is geographically unique as the largest raised coral atoll<br />
in the world. The island’s steep-to coastline is surrounded by<br />
a narrow lagoon bounded by a coral reef with the two main<br />
ports being located in Kanggava Bay. These “ports” consist of rock<br />
bulldozed out to the reef edge from which barges are loaded with<br />
bauxite or logs for transhipment to vessels anchored offshore.<br />
Access to the island is via bush airstrip however supply and logistics<br />
is via landing craft or supply boat.<br />
Whilst not a particularly technical salvage, Resolve Salvage<br />
applied proven methodologies, hard work and engineering ingenuity,<br />
while enduring difficult circumstances including ransacking of the<br />
casualty by locals prior to TMC’s arrival as first responder.<br />
Ultimately the Solomon Trader was de-polluted and successfully<br />
refloated thus avoiding ongoing reef damage through wreck<br />
degradation. As the salvage team worked on the “steamer” (motor<br />
ships are not in the local vernacular), a Resolve oil spill response<br />
team cleaned the shoreline of the bay.<br />
Ironically, it was on the salvage tug Redcliffe that I attended<br />
the same vessel in 2002, then named Dorik Chariot, when she<br />
grounded on Piper Reef, Queensland.<br />
THE WOMBAT<br />
TMC also attended the dredger Wombat which capsized in the Coral<br />
Sea, east of the Great Barrier Reef whilst on tow from Port Moresby<br />
to Cairns.<br />
Appointed salvor PacTow and TMC set sail from Port Moresby to<br />
inspect the Wombat at sea. The dredge was inverted but stable and<br />
not emitting hydrocarbons. A casualty risk assessment, including<br />
potential passage planning through the reef, was conducted.<br />
The decision was made to resupply the towing vessel Vulcan and<br />
return the casualty to Port Moresby. TMC approved a casualty<br />
ONSHORE ADVICE<br />
Not all work requiring maritime expertise happens at sea. TMC<br />
engineer consultant Mike Wilson acted as marine adviser for<br />
an insurance company when a barge sank on a mining pond at<br />
a remote mine site in Victoria. Situated almost 500km from the<br />
nearest coastline, floating resources were few and far between.<br />
Recovery and repair of the barge required pumping the water<br />
from the pond to a higher level reservoir, which took place over<br />
several weeks due to the large volume of water. Once the pond was<br />
empty, earthmoving machines built a level platform adjacent to<br />
the barge and docking blocks were installed. Then, with flotation<br />
attached to the barge, the pond was re-filled and the barge<br />
re-floated. The supported barge was moved over blocks and the<br />
pond was again pumped out. The barge was landed on the docking<br />
blocks where repairs were completed before the pond was again<br />
filled and the mining barge resumed operations.<br />
THE KEA TRADER<br />
TMC also continues as insurer and owner representative for the<br />
Kea Trader wreck removal off New Caledonia. Since the loss of the<br />
ship in 2017, TMC has maintained an active presence in Noumea<br />
liaising onsite with contractors Ardent and Shanghai Salvage, the<br />
French and New Caledonian authorities as well as the community.<br />
The Kea Trader project is currently awaiting the arrival from<br />
Shanghai of SSC’s vessel Ca Li, a 132-metre, 800-tonne crane<br />
barge designed specifically for wreck removal in the open ocean<br />
conditions encountered at Recif Durand.<br />
LIQUEFACTION EXPERTISE<br />
TMC Marine’s Australian office recently expanded with the<br />
appointment of consultant master mariner, Captain John<br />
Silberberg to help with the increased regional demand for<br />
experienced maritime experts.<br />
Liquefaction has sadly once again become topical with the total<br />
loss of the Nur Allya with all hands. Loaded with nickel ore, she<br />
was reported missing in Indonesian waters in August.<br />
Captain Silberberg recently assisted as owners and P&I<br />
representative for a bulk carrier loading a concentrate cargo<br />
with concerns around liquefaction. He helped develop a revised<br />
cargo sampling and testing plan for cargo already loaded and that<br />
remaining in the stockpile. The vessel successfully completed<br />
loading and sailed without further incident.<br />
thedcn.com.au <strong>October</strong> <strong>2019</strong> 53
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