Big ship in difficulties in channel

Press, 11 October 1982, Page 1

Big ship in difficulties in channel

PA Auckland The 52,000-ton container ship Nedlloyd Houtman. hit by an electrical failure which knocked out her steering and engines, went out of control in Rangitoto Channel yesterday. The huge ship, on her first visit to Auckland for three years, came to rest about 650 metres from the beach with her stern facing to sea. Part of her hull may have been aground, according to observers, before she was guided to the safety of deeper waters by three Auckland Harbour Board tugs which sped to her assitance in the channel. The ship had come from Lyttelton.

Captain John Chesney faced a harbour pilot's nightmare soon after he went aboard the huge ship to guide her into Auckland Harbour. The power failure at 8.35 a.m. left her almost helpless for about seven minutes before being brought up opposite Cheltenham Beach byanchor. Two elements in the drama proved to be fortunate.

The Deputy Harbourmaster, Captain Ray Bedwell,’ said matters could have been disastrous if the Nedlloyd Houtman had not been late and if there had not been a strong westerly — the tugs had been waiting to help her berth and were able to move in quickly. Also the strong westerly had kept the ship’s stern off and the hull at right angles to Cheltenham Beach, said Captain Bedwell. A Devonport resident, Mr John Brooke, saw the Nedlloyd Houtman veer to starboard when she was between two channel buoys and

come towards the beach. "She dropped her anchors but they did not seem to check her and she came to rest about a quarter of a mile off the shore." he said. "She must have been aground, as her stern did not swing with the tide as it should have done.” The pilot launch Akarana took soundings round the Nedlloyd Houtman to find a safe passage to drag her out. The three tugs which went to her aid at the North Head — the Aucklander, Daldy, and Te Awhina — at first concentrated on keeping the ship's stern in deep water as there was a danger of it slewing round on the incoming tide and sticking fast: By 9.42 a.m. some power had been restored on board the Nedlloyd Houtman and a minute or so later the tugs started to drag her back into the channel.

“We were quite glad of the Aucklander’s steam power,” said Captain Bedwell.

The Auckland Harbour Board has been considering scrapping the Aucklander. She is the oldest tug, and its only steam tug, but is still the most powerful. Reports received by Captain Bedwell indicated that the ship did "just” run aground. On board later, however, her Auckland agent, Mr M. Slessor, of Seabridge New Zealand, Ltd, said there was some doubt about it.

It was believed the ship had only enough power to use either her main engines or bow-thruster units, and both were needed in yesterday’s conditions. Divers and Lloyd’s of London ship surveyors will check the hull for damage this morning.