WRECK OF ABEL TASMAN

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21866, 20 August 1936, Page 18

WRECK OF ABEL TASMAN

COURT *FINDS NO PERSON RESPONSIBLE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE MOORING OF SHIPS [THE PRESS Special Service.] GREYMOUTH, August 19. “We are unable to find that the casualty was caused or contributed to by the wrongful act or default of the master or any of his crew or of the harbour board and its officials, or any other person,” states the written decision of the Court of Enquiry, which sat at Greymouth to investigate the wreck of the Abel Tasman on the Greymouth bar. The master’s and .first officer’s certificates, which were handed in, were returned to them. The decision is signed by Mr H. Morgan, S.M., and Mr F. W. Baron and Mr J, Mawson, assessors. “The evidence . shows that the harbourmaster, the ship’s master, and officers had given strict attention to the safe mooring of the ship,” says the decision. “There was a flood in the river at the time and the current was approximately eight knqts. Without warning the forward moorings and starboard cable carried away. It is not known which mooring carried away first, or whether the moorings parted- before or after the starboard cable broke. Everything possibly was done to save the ship alter she broke away, but drifting downstream she struck an old wreckage outside the navigable channel hear the bar and from there drifted on to the north beach and became a total loss, Tlie evidence, in cur opinion is not conclusive enough for us to find that the casualty was due to a cause other than misadventure. Previous Accident “This casualty following on a case of the breaking away from its moorings in this port last year of the s.s. Omana in somewhat similar circumstances calls foy consideration of a possible improvement in the method of mooring adopted with a view to eliminating such mishaps, or at least to enable a ship in the event of its breaking adrift after all reasonable precautions are taken for its safe mooring, to have a better chance of avoiding disaster. “It is recommended that the port cable should never be used as' a mooring and should never be detached from its anchor, but in its place there should be used a suitable heavy wire, say 5 inch in case of the larger type of ships, or preferably an 18 inch coir spring, such spring to have a heavy wire tail and be made fast on board to the ship’s bitts, and it should also have wire or manila lanyards to be set up on shore to the mooring post. If a wire is used then it should be of sufficient length to put out a bight. It is considered that, with the usual mooring lines, the starboard anchor cable and the wire or coir spring, a ship should be securely moored to meet any flood conditions, but in case of a break away the port anchor would be available to help in staving off disaster. Use of Coir Springs “It is considered that where a wire is used the ship should be equipped with it, but to meet cases of ships working the port which are not so equipped the Harbour Board should provide a supply of the 18 inch coir springs and the Use of such springs should be a charge against the ship. “We desire to observe that*the port appears to have reached its limit as to the size of the bigger class of ships. "it is considered that easing off the stern is worthy of a further, trial. “The evidence shows that the practice of tlie port has been for some years for the harbour master to give instructions to the masters of vessels to have steam handy when conditions at the port warrant, and we consider that if steapi is made ready accordingly that should be sufficient to meet any state of emergency in which steam should be required without the necessity of having the propeller timing over.”