Stockton II (2000) | Novatug Maritime Wiki

Classification

Incident Type: Capsize girding
Severity: Low
Region: Australia

This was a near-capsize girding incident. The reviewed web source reports three crewmen overboard, minor flooding and accommodation damage, and fuel contamination; it does not provide a casualty count.

Vessel Details

Field	Value
Vessel Name	Stockton II
Vessel Type	Tug
Flag State
IMO Number
Gross Tonnage
LOA (m)
Breadth (m)
Bollard Pull (t)
Power (kW)
Owner/Operator
Year Built
Crew Size
Other vessel	Warramunga, Anzac-class frigate

Incident Details

Field	Value
Date	2000-10-27
Location	Williamstown dockyard and Williamstown Channel, Melbourne
Coordinates	-37.8142, 144.9632
Region	Australia
Fatalities
Injuries
Missing
Cargo Loss
Direct Damage	Minor flooding and damage to the galley/accommodation; fuel contamination was reported.
Economic Damage
Insured Loss
Salvage/Cleanup Cost

Key facts

Stockton II was secured port side aft to tow Warramunga from the Williamstown dockyard into the Williamstown Channel.
As the frigate swung toward the sea, it gathered headway before the tug had been let go. The article reports that the frigate's propellers remained at 40% ahead for more than a minute and that speed exceeded 10 knots.
The towline could not be kept over Stockton II's stern, leaving the tug broadside with the tow over the beam. The towline parted before the tug fully capsized.
Three crewmen jumped overboard when capsize appeared likely; the article reports that none was wearing a personal flotation device or lifejacket.
Water entered through an open deckhouse door and through a fuel-tank vent, causing minor damage to the galley/accommodation and some fuel contamination.

Narrative

Stockton II was made fast port side aft to tow the new Anzac-class frigate Warramunga from the Williamstown dockyard into the Williamstown Channel for sea trials. As the frigate swung head to sea, it gathered headway before the tug had been released. The reviewed web article, which summarizes the Marine Safety Victoria investigation, reports that the frigate's propellers were set to 40% ahead for more than a minute and that the ship's speed exceeded 10 knots.

Stockton II could not keep the towline over its stern. The tug was pulled broadside with the tow over the beam and heeled toward capsize. Three crewmen jumped overboard when the capsize appeared likely. The towline parted before the tug fully capsized, allowing it to return to an upright position. The article reports that water entered through a deckhouse door that had been clipped open and through a fuel-tank vent. This caused minor damage to the galley and accommodation and some fuel contamination.

The reviewed article reports that there had been no pre-task briefing for the tugmasters, that the towline was made fast to H bitts rather than an emergency-release hook, and that Stockton II lacked an after winch or means to adjust its gob rope. These points are presented below as reported findings from the secondary web account. The public sources reviewed do not establish fatalities, injuries, or economic loss.

Sequence of events

Date/time	Event
2000-10-27	Stockton II was made fast port side aft to tow Warramunga from Williamstown dockyard.
2000-10-27	Warramunga gathered headway before the tug had been let go; Stockton II was pulled broadside with the tow over the beam.
2000-10-27	Three crewmen went overboard as the tug appeared likely to capsize.
2000-10-27	The towline parted before a full capsize; the tug returned upright, with reported minor flooding and fuel contamination.

Contributing factors

The following factors are reported in the reviewed Seaways web article's account of the Marine Safety Victoria investigation. The direct official report link was identified but was not accessible in the web review.

Evidence label	Factor	Evidence-bounded description
Reported	Frigate gathered headway before release	The article reports sustained 40% ahead propulsion for more than a minute before the tug was ordered to slip.
Reported	Communication and bridge resource management	The article reports deficiencies in communication and bridge-team coordination during the manoeuvre.
Reported	No pre-task briefing	The article reports that the tugmasters had no pre-task briefing covering the operation and the tug's limitations.
Reported	No emergency towline release	The article reports that the towline was made fast to H bitts rather than a slip hook.
Reported	Tug configuration and suitability	The article reports that Stockton II lacked an after winch or means to adjust its gob rope and was not well suited to ship-assist work.
Reported	Watertight integrity	The article reports that an open deckhouse door allowed water ingress as the tug heeled.

Investigation

Marine Safety Victoria's 2000 investigation into the incident between Warramunga and the tugs Stockton and Vital is linked by the reviewed Seaways article. The official historical report link was identified on the web, but the direct report could not be fetched in the web review. The findings and contributing factors on this page are therefore labelled as reported from the secondary web account rather than as independently verified quotations from the official report.

References

Video

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