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Pasha Bulker News

03 Dec 2008

2008 IMO Award to Brazilian Seafarer

The 2008 IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea has been presented to a Brazilian seafarer who saved fellow crew members from a dangerous fire on a ship. Mr. Rodolpho Fonseca da Silva Rigueira, of the drill ship Noble Roger Eason, nominated by the Government of Brazil, for his decisive, selfless action to rescue six fellow crew members from a catastrophic fire which burst out on it. The fire originated from an explosion, causing imminent risk to the lives of crew members in the vicinity of the explosion; yet, instead of evacuating the area, he repeatedly faced the fire and very high temperatures to save his colleagues, at severe risk to his own life. Mr. Rigueira was presented with the award by IMO Secretary-General Mr. Efthimios E.

23 May 2008

ATSB Issues Report on Pasha Bulker Grounding

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) issued the report of its investigation of the grounding of the Pasha Bulker at on June 8, 2007. The investigation found that the master did not appropriately ballast the vessel and did not weigh anchor until it dragged in severe weather. The master had incorrectly assumed that authorities ashore would instruct ships to put out to sea when conditions were bad. After the ship got underway, the master made further inappropriate decisions due to task overloading, fatigue, and anxiety. The ship’s safety management system provided the master with insufficient guidance about safety putting to sea in adverse weather.

05 Dec 2007

Pasha Bulker Expert to Help Move Grounded Ship

The salvage master who coordinated the operation to move the Pasha Bulker off Newcastle has been brought in to head the effort to move a 75,000 tonne bulk carrier which has run aground in central Queensland. Experts and equipment are being brought in to help refloat the Endeavour River, which ran aground in Gladstone Harbor. A spokesman from the salvage company, Svitzer, says it is likely that efforts to refloat the ship will not be made until later in the week when the tides are more favorable. Svitzer is also bringing in one of its naval architects from Holland who will look at the structure of the ship. Additional equipment, including cables and shackles, is scheduled to arrive.

02 Jul 2007

Cable Snaps as Refloat Begins

One of the cables connecting the stranded freighter Pasha Bulker to a tugboat at Newcastle's Nobbys Beach has snapped, as efforts are made to refloat the freighter. The tugboat has now moved further out to sea. Two tugboats are still connected to the Pasha Bulker and their engines are working hard against the line. There are also three deep-sea anchors connected the Pasha Bulker and it is hoped that when the tide peaks, the ship will be able to refloat and move further out to sea. The bow of the ship is starting to move slightly as the ballast water continues to be pumped out, as waves lash the side of the hull. Source: ABC

29 Jun 2007

Salvage Attempt Postponed

A second salvage attempt of the Pasha Bulker has been postponed with three towlines now broken. The Pasha Bulker remains firmly embedded in the sand at Nobby's Beach and has been causing salvage crews a lot of grief. Three towlines have snapped, two from tugboats, another from the sea anchor vessel. The ship has been buoyant enough to have rotated slightly and the remaining lines will stay attached to keep it in positon. Salvage experts say delays like this are not uncommon, with some refloats taking several months. Source: Australian

13 Jun 2007

Ship Could be Stranded for Weeks

Port authorities are unable to predict how long it will take to refloat the 40,000 ton coal ship Pasha Bulker, stranded off a Newcastle beach, according to the West Australian. A Newcastle Port Corporation spokesman said the situation would be clearer once the 20-man salvage team, which spent its fifth day aboard the grounded bulk carrier, completed its detailed plan. Equipment to contain an oil spill was being moved from Newcastle port to a holding area in a carpark at Nobby's Beach, where it can be moved quickly in the event of a fuel leak from the ship, which has been wedged on a sandbar since Friday. The team has found a breach in the vessel's outer hull but a secondary inner hull remains intact.