Western Railroad Discussion > OT; MOL Container Ship breaks in half at Sea-Photos

Thought people would find this interesting. A MOL 8000teu container ship suffered hull failure in bad weather and later broke in half. While the two halves are still above water and expected to be towed to port, anything could happen at this point.

http://www.vesselfinder.com/news/1222-UPDATE-on-MOL-Comforts-Accident-PHOTOS

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

Quick , Rescue the Athearn and Atlas Model Train Containers First !

Where was the boat headed too and from?

That must have been some seriously bad weather.

Seal all watertight hatches fore and aft, this is not a drill! That is all.

Wow, almost looks like the rear section, with the expensive superstructure, bridge and engine room, could be tacked onto a new hull.

The sea swells tell the story, kinda like the fabled Edmund Fitzgerald.

fwiw, Cargolaw has the same info:

http://www.cargolaw.com/presentations_casualties.php

"7,041-TEU container vessel MOL Comfort, with crew of 26, suffered crack / severe structural failure amidships and water ingress off Yemen, while under way from Singapore to Jeddah on the Indian Ocean (12'30"N 60'E) during inclement whether at about noon JST (07:00 local time) on June 17. [17-06-2013] UPDATE>> Vessel is broken into two, both sections still separately afloat and foundering as of sundown June 17. Some containers reported overboard, oil spill reported. [18-06-2013]"

built in 2008...

Yes, built in 2008, to junk standards. In 2001 I had the unenviable task of running a ship up onto the beach in Bangladesh. A ship I had worked and sweated aboard for 13 1/2 years. This so the Bangladeshis could cut her up for scrap. On that day she operated and performed as well as the day she'd been christened, 31 years prior. U.S. built, Sparrows Point Maryland, USA.

moltensulphur Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yes, built in 2008, to junk standards. In 2001 I
> had the unenviable task of running a ship up onto
> the beach in Bangladesh. A ship I had worked and
> sweated aboard for 13 1/2 years. This so the
> Bangladeshis could cut her up for scrap. On that
> day she operated and performed as well as the day
> she'd been christened, 31 years prior. U.S. built,
> Sparrows Point Maryland, USA.


Wow, if there's a ShipOrders somewhere I'd love to hear that story and see the pictures.

Waybiller Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> moltensulphur Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Yes, built in 2008, to junk standards. In 2001
> I
> > had the unenviable task of running a ship up
> onto
> > the beach in Bangladesh. A ship I had worked
> and
> > sweated aboard for 13 1/2 years. This so the
> > Bangladeshis could cut her up for scrap. On
> that
> > day she operated and performed as well as the
> day
> > she'd been christened, 31 years prior. U.S.
> built,
> > Sparrows Point Maryland, USA.
>
>
> Wow, if there's a ShipOrders somewhere I'd love to
> hear that story and see the pictures.


I have seen this operation on TV many times.Not what you would call a safe work environment.Those poor folk sure earn their money.
Regards,DK

Here is another link with better photos.

http://www.marinelog.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4216:five-year-old-box-ship-breaks-apart-in-indian-ocean&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=195

The IO is not a good place for a vessel in peril.
...Lorenzo

BandOblades Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Here is another link with better photos.
>
> http://www.marinelog.com/index.php?option=com_cont
> ent&view=article&id=4216:five-year-old-box-ship-br
> eaks-apart-in-indian-ocean&catid=1:latest-news&Ite
> mid=195


Um, hardly, no, but thanks for playing. Maybe try checking out the first link, which has those 2 photos plus others.

There's no ocean that's a "good place" for a vessel in peril.

Regarding other comments in this thread:

The Edmund Fitzgerald foundered due to improperly secured cargo hatches. She took on water through the cargo hatches in heavy weather, and sank.

The sea state shown in the photos provided, does not appear to be seriously heavy weather. More like what a seasoned mariner could expect on any given day.

This vessel could have foundered for several reasons. Could've been a structural deficiency, but more likely improper loading of the containers and therefore poor weight distribution could have been a major factor. Another contributing factor could have been the way she was being handled (steered at the wrong angle to the waves, excessive ship speed, etc.) in the swells.

Once again, the sea state alone could not and should not have caused this casualty, given a properly maintained and properly operated vessel.

moltensulphur Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The sea state shown in the photos provided, does
> not appear to be seriously heavy weather. More
> like what a seasoned mariner could expect on any
> given day.

Agreed, but there is no indication that those were the conditions during which the failure occurred.

Ray

Roger that, had some reading to catch up on, I had thought it was a break in two from large periodic waves:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Edmund_Fitzgerald

-------------------------------------------------------
> There's no ocean that's a "good place" for a
> vessel in peril.
>
> Regarding other comments in this thread:
>
> The Edmund Fitzgerald foundered due to improperly
> secured cargo hatches. She took on water through
> the cargo hatches in heavy weather, and sank.
>
> The sea state shown in the photos provided, does
> not appear to be seriously heavy weather. More
> like what a seasoned mariner could expect on any
> given day.
>

Point well taken Ray. But as I said, "sea state shown in the photos provided....."

It's the new DP for ships, just shove more in between and cinch her up :)