- The fire onboard container ship ‘Yantain’ is quickly emerging as a case study for maritime casualty management.
- The experts have requested a ‘Place of Refuge’ where a ship in need of assistance can take action to stabilize its condition.
- Transport Canada has a ‘contingency plan’ to guide the risk assessment conducted by the regional office of Transport Canada.
- Based on risk assessment, vessels falling under ‘low-risk category’ will be granted access to a port where they can be salvaged.
According to Hapag Llyod, a fire that originated onboard a Halifax bound container ship ‘Yantain’ is quickly emerging as an excellent case study when it comes to maritime casualty management.
What happened?
The vessel caught fire on its journey and the fire was discovered to have originated in the fourth stack of containers on deck that housed hazardous and toxic substance known as ‘HNS Cargo’. Experts from Hapag Lloyd have determined that the surrounding cargo could also have been affected by smoke and water. The only hope obtained from this situation has been determined that the damage to the cargo has been confined to one-third of the ship.
What is HNS cargo?
An ‘HNS Cargo’ is hazardous cargo that is usually stored in the front end of the ship located away from the accommodation quarters to allow crew members to have a safe exit in case of a fire.
According to initial reports, it has been determined that the above-mentioned strategy was used for storage. This strategy allowed the crew members to safely steer the ship so the wind blew the smoke away from the accommodation area until they could be safely evacuated.
The fire was brought under control but the dispatch of two additional tugboats and the lack of progress towards a port suggests the fire is still problematic and firefighting efforts are still underway.
A safe haven for ship requested
The salvors have made a request to Transport Canada for a place of refuge. A place of refuge is a place, where a ship in need of assistance, can take action to stabilize its condition. Nation states are obviously reluctant to grant permission to damaged ships to enter home waters. The risk of pollution or even the outright sinking of the vessel is a significant concern.
The International Maritime Organization adopted the “Guidelines on places of refuge for ships in need of assistance” with the aim of encouraging states to offer assistance to vessels in distress, by performing a risk assessment before rejecting refuge applications by distressed vessels. Moreover, Transport Canada has a “Places of refuge contingency plan” to guide the risk assessment conducted by the regional office of Transport Canada, Canadian Coast Guard and other relevant government agencies.
Atlantic region enters the fray
There is a sub-plan available for the Atlantic region, which contains information about ports and facilities. Halifax has several advantages as a port of refuge. It provides a sheltered harbour, has tugs and pollution control equipment available, environmental contractors, Transport Canada offices, and cargo handling facilities.
Risk and structural assessment
The risk assessment looks at the condition of the ship, what actions have been taken and are proposed by the salvors and the controls that are in place and what the possible outcomes of the situation are. If the risk is deemed low, then a place of refuge is granted.
Transport Canada can also offer a place of refuge with conditions, or outright reject the request. If its rejected, then the government has the option to offer assistance offshore.
Vessel to reach safe haven shortly
In the case of the Yantain Express, the assessment will look at the structural condition of the ship, what the salvors’ intentions, and the serviceability of the ship’s equipment and engines, and the risk of pollution. Presumably, the fire will need to be substantially controlled before the ship is permitted to enter the port.
Once the Yantain Express is in port, cargo not damaged by the fire will be unloaded and transferred to a ship being sent to Halifax to collect it. The damaged cargo will also need to be removed, and hazardous contaminants dealt with. This incident will be ongoing for several weeks to come.
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Source: The Chronicle Herald
