Classification
- Incident Type: Cargo Loss
- Severity: High
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | APL England |
| Vessel Type | Container |
| Flag State | Singapore [SG] |
| IMO Number | 9218650 |
| Gross Tonnage | 65792 |
| LOA (m) | 277.255 |
| Breadth (m) | 40.00 |
| Bollard Pull (t) | |
| Power (kW) | |
| Owner/Operator | |
| TEU | |
| Year Built | 2001 |
| Crew Size | 25 |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | 2020-05-24 |
| Location | 46 NM south-east of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Coordinates | -34.366167, 151.913000 |
| Region | Australia |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 1 |
| Missing | 0 |
| Cargo Loss | 50 containers lost overboard |
| Direct Damage | Vessel structure and container securing equipment were damaged; 50 containers were lost overboard. |
| Economic Damage | |
| Insured Loss | |
| Salvage/Cleanup Cost |
Key facts
- On 24 May 2020, APL England was 46 nautical miles south-east of Sydney while bound for Melbourne.
- A series of heavy rolls in adverse weather caused the loss of 50 containers overboard and a temporary main-engine shutdown.
- The ATSB found that many fixed container securing devices were severely weakened by corrosion.
- High cube containers had been loaded in bay 62 contrary to the Cargo Securing Manual, and the cargo computer did not identify the breach.
- The report records one minor crew injury and damage to the vessel structure and securing equipment.
Narrative
APL England departed Ningbo, China, on 11 May 2020 for Sydney and later Melbourne. On 24 May, while making way down the east coast of New South Wales, the ship encountered gale-force winds, high seas, and a substantial southerly swell. At about 06:10 local time, 46 nautical miles south-east of Sydney, the vessel underwent a series of very heavy rolls of about 25 degrees to either side. The movement caused containers to fall and the main engine to shut down temporarily after the lubricating-oil pump lost suction.
As the vessel recovered, the crew found fallen stacks and container losses in bays 62 and 30. In total, 50 containers were lost overboard and 79 damaged containers remained onboard. One lost container carried dry-powder fire extinguishers. APL England continued north because Sydney and nearby ports were closed by the weather, and it reached Brisbane on 25 May. The vessel was later repaired in Zhoushan, China. Post-incident inspections required the replacement of more than 550 single and double lashing plates, along with deck steelwork and supporting structures.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau found that the heavy rolling exceeded the strength of fixed securing devices that had been severely weakened by corrosion. It also found that high cube containers in bay 62 were loaded contrary to the Cargo Securing Manual, leaving upper tiers inadequately secured. The crew did not follow the company's adverse-weather procedures, including use of the dangerous-motion criteria tool. The report records one minor crew injury and no fatalities.
Following the occurrence, APL England was repaired and the company inspected and repaired securing equipment across its fleet, strengthened inspection and reporting requirements, and revised guidance for high cube container stowage and heavy-weather navigation.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|---|
| 2020-05-11 | APL England departed Ningbo, China, bound for Australia. |
| 2020-05-23 | Weather deteriorated off New South Wales as winds increased and seas built. |
| 2020-05-24 02:15 local | The vessel experienced an earlier series of heavy rolls while about 40 nautical miles east of Sydney. |
| 2020-05-24 06:10 local | APL England rolled heavily 46 nautical miles south-east of Sydney; containers were dislodged and the main engine temporarily shut down. |
| 2020-05-24 07:00 local | The crew observed fallen container stacks and identified losses from bays 62 and 30. |
| 2020-05-25 | The vessel anchored off Point Cartwright near Brisbane after continuing north to a suitable place of refuge. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Corroded fixed securing devices | Confirmed finding | The ATSB found that many deck securing fixtures were in poor condition and had lost substantial load-carrying strength through corrosion. |
| High cube containers in bay 62 | Confirmed finding | The containers were loaded contrary to the Cargo Securing Manual, and the cargo computer did not identify the loading breach. |
| Ineffective inspection and maintenance | Confirmed finding | Routine onboard inspection and maintenance did not identify and correct the deteriorating condition of a significant proportion of the securing devices. |
| Adverse-weather procedures not followed | Confirmed finding | The crew did not use the required adverse-weather procedures, checklist, and dangerous-motion criteria tool, reducing opportunities to prepare for the conditions. |
Investigation
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigated the occurrence in Marine Occurrence Investigation report 351-MO-2020-002, Loss of containers overboard from APL England, published 16 December 2022. The ATSB concluded that heavy rolling, corroded securing devices, and the non-compliant loading of high cube containers in bay 62 contributed to the cargo loss. It also identified ineffective maintenance and non-compliance with adverse-weather procedures as safety factors that increased risk.