Transport Malta reports of an incident involving the near-breakaway of the container ship CMA CGM Bellini on 20 May 2022, at the Port of Brisbane, Australia.
What happened
In the morning of 20 May 2022, CMA CGM Bellini was engaged in cargo operations at the port of Brisbane, Australia, when one of its head lines suddenly parted and another one was damaged. Soon after, the mooring winch brakes of the remaining three head lines rendered and the vessel’s bow swayed off the berth by about eight metres. The vessel was eventually brought back alongside, with the assistance of a tugboat, and was safely moored back to the berth.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) notified the Marine Safety Investigation Unit (MSIU) of this occurrence. The MSIU was further informed that this occurrence was one of two breakaway occurrences in the port of Brisbane, within a span of about four days. The ATSB launched a safety investigation combining both occurrences. The safety investigation is still ongoing.
Safety investigation activities
The ATSB commenced its safety investigation on 25 May 2022, five days after CMA CGM Bellini’s near-breakaway. As soon as the ATSB notified the MSIU of the occurrence, the MSIU contacted the Company with a request for relevant information and documents, including the ECDIS playback and the VDR data. However, as the MSIU had received the notification about seven days after the occurrence, the ECDIS playback and VDR data were not retrievable. The Company provided the MSIU with the rest of the requested data.
In April 2023, the ATSB advised the MSIU that they have completed the collection of relevant data, including shipboard statements, technical data, weather data, port procedures, surveyors reports and interviews of port pilotage providers. Currently, the ATSB is examining and analysing the events and local conditions, particularly freshwater river flow conditions, tidal conditions and hydrodynamic influences associated with both breakaway occurrences.
The ATSB will be focusing its safety investigation on the following areas:
- mooring arrangements and equipment on board CMA CGM Bellini;
- effectiveness of the vessels’ emergency response, including readiness and drills;
- internal and external shipboard communications systems, verification, interpretation and analysis of the recorded data;
- weather and flood conditions prior to and during the breakaway;
- dissemination and interpretation of weather information;
- effectiveness of the port procedures, operational guidance, and inter-agency communications during a flood event; and
- analysis of relevant human factors, including pilotage of berthing vessels.
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Source: Transport Malta
