Article

Master and Chief Engineer plead guilty in MV Funing case


published on 22 September 2020 226 -

Text and photo by Maritime NZ

The Master and Chief Engineer of the log-carrier MV Funing, have today been sentenced and fined after admitting charges relating to the grounding of the ship at the Port of Tauranga in July.

Master Liang Guang Hong and Chief Engineer Chameekara Prasad Nanayakkara both entered guilty pleas in the Tauranga District Court on 10 September to charges brought by Maritime NZ under the Maritime Transport Act (MTA) 1994. This followed an investigation by Maritime NZ after the Singapore-registered ship lost power and passed over a channel marker with the propeller becoming caught in the markerchain, before making contact with a sand bar in the Tauranga Harbour channel.

The Master was fined $3250.00 fine and ordered to pay $130.00 court costs, after pleading guilty to one charge under Section 65(1)(a) of the MTA, of operating the vessel “in a manner which caused unnecessary danger or risk to other persons or property, including the passengers and crew of the MV Funing.

The Chief Engineer also admitted one charge under section 65(2)(a) of the MTA, for causing or permitting the ship to be “operated, maintained, or serviced, in a manner that caused unnecessary danger or risk to any other persons or property, including the passengers and crew of the MV Funing”. He was also fined $3250 and ordered to pay $130 court costs.

The maximum penalty for both charges was 12 months’ imprisonment or a $10,000 fine.

Michael-Paul Abbott, Maritime NZ’s Central Region Compliance Manager said, “following a series of checks on the engine of the Funing prior to its departure from the Port of Tauranga, a problem was found with the fuel quantity pistons. At this time, the wind was gusting 15 to 30 knots (28-56 kph) with the wave height approaching 4 metres and rain had reduced visibility”.

“The problem started when one of the engine’s fuel quantity pistons indicated an error, which means that if this isn’t addressed, the engine’s power will be reduced – which is power it needs when exiting the narrow harbour entrance.”

In the hours leading up to the engine failure, the Chief Engineer tested the affected parts a number of times, each time triggering an alarm suggesting the problem had not been rectified. The decision was then made to override the mechanism that automatically slows down the vessel in the event of a problem with the engine, as an attempted precautionary measure.

“The Pilot subsequently came aboard around midnight and the master handed him the Pilot Card which indicated that there were no issues affecting a safe departure. But as the ship tried to increase speed on leaving Port, the Chief Engineer realised there was still a problem with one of the fuel quantity pistons and that the engine was not responding with the shift to ‘full ahead’ (full power). The Pilot asked the Master several times why the ship was going slowly, but did not receive a clear explanation,” Mr Abbott said.

“As a result, the No. 2 engine cylinder lost all power, and during this time the wind and swell had increased. At 0043 hours the Pilot called the tug boats to come and assist and the Master ordered the anchor to be dropped. At 0047 hours the main engine stopped after the propeller became entangled with the channel marker while the stern swung around and came into contact with the sand bank.

“The tugs then turned the vessel into the deeper channel water and held it there until it could be towed into safer anchorage. There it remained until 14 July when it was towed into port.”

Mr Abbott said the Maritime investigation and subsequent prosecution proved that the Master knew there was an issue with the main engine prior to departure and failed to notify the Pilot that there was a problem.

The Chief Engineer was also proven to have failed to retest the main engine to ensure it was operating on all 5 cylinders after attending to the fuel quantity piston error.

The Funing is currently being towed back to Singapore which is expected to take around 40 days.
What's your opinion on this?
Login or register to write comments and join the discussion!
Read more...

Video Pilot Boats Australia & New Zealand December 2017 - January 2018

published on 11 November 2020

Pilot Boats assisting Holland America Line cruise ship MS Maasdam on Australia - New Zealand cruise December 19 2017 - January 5 2018.

0

Video APL Mexico City destroys crane in Antwerp (09.12.2019)

published on 2 September 2020

9 December 2019 - 'APL Mexico City' hits adrift and rams port crane in Antwerp.
Author of these images is unknown, they circulate freely on social media.
Should an author identify with these images and have any objections, they will be removed upon simple request to Flows.be.

0

Article Pilot injured during embarking in Taiwan. (Video)

by Marine-Pilots.com - published on 3 February 2020

Video: Climbing the pilot ladder, the pilot is hit by Pilot Boat.

0

Video Kiel Canal: Collision with Holtenau High Bridge (Holtenauer Hochbrücke)

published on 1 December 2022

The Finnish special vessel "Meri" collided with Holtenau High Bridge (Holtenauer Hochbrücke) over the Kiel Canal early on 30 Nov 2022 morning at around 4.37 am.

2

Article Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) Annual Report 2021 published

published on 10 June 2022

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch’s (MAIB) has published their latest annual report showing that pilot ladders remain a safety issue for workers.

0

Video Dublin Port | MOB (Man Overboard) Exercise

published on 3 November 2021

This is an exercise that is carried out at regular intervals by all crews on the Pilot boats and Tugs operating in Dublin Port, it is essential that crews are trained and ready to respond to any eventuality involving a MOB. In some instances it could be a casualty from another vessel. Being familiar with equipment and knowing what to do in any emergency is essential on board any vessel. #IrishPortSafetyWeek #DublinPort Find out more at: https://www.dublinport.ie/irish-ports-host-inaugural-...

0

Article Handover of Kewatec Pilot 1630 to Gdańsk Pilot (Poland)

published on 15 November 2021

This week, Kewatec handed over another popular boat, Kewatec Pilot 1630, to the pilot boat operator Gdańsk Pilot in Poland. The fast pilot boat is self-righting and designed with extraordinary safety performance for both the pilots and boat operators.

0

Video Rodman 41, Embarcación de Prácticos y Puertos de Setúbal y Sesimbra.

published on 8 April 2021

Rodman 41, es el último modelo de embarcaciones de prácticos diseñado y construido por Rodman. Con 12 metros de eslora el Rodman 41, se convierte en el barco de prácticos más competitivo y con mejores prestaciones del mercado. Equipado con todo lo necesario para realizar trabajos y servicios de puerto, donde se le requiera, de manera inmediata.

0

Opinion Pilots are not Advisors to Masters

by Karolina Cirjak, Consultant Master Mariner at KC Maritime Consultancy Ltd. - published on 21 February 2022

This article was first published back in February 2022: According to the International Group of P & I Clubs’ “Report on P&I claims involving vessels under pilotage 1999-2019”, over the last twenty years, there were 1,046 incidents in which pilot error either caused or contributed to those events.

6