As nearly everyone in Fremantle and farther afield knows by now, at 6.15 am yesterday morning, 30 August 2024, an incident occurred where the container ship Maersk Shekou collided with the STS Leeuwin when entering Fremantle’s inner harbour.
The collision impacted the Leeuwin’s masts and superstructure, leaving her significantly damaged. However, the hull appears not to have sustained major damage.
The bow of the 332m Shekou struck the Leeuwin first, then immediately afterwards the stern of the vessel caused damage to A Berth and the WA Maritime Museum roof, under which the night before Empress Josephine’s Garden was being unveiled to entranced invited guests .
During this impact the hull of the Shekou was also damaged and is currently being assessed. Here she is tied up at Container Terminal 3, North Quay after the incident.
Fremantle Ports CEO Jodie Ransom has confirmed two male night watch crew members aboard the Leeuwin sustained non-life threatening injuries and were taken to hospital.
Ms Ransom explained in a media release and also on ABC Perth Radio late in the day yesterday that the port carefully plans for every ship movement and safety was the highest priority at all times.
Ms Ransom confirmed our report of yesterday that, as per standard operating procedures, the Shekou had two pilots on board and was accompanied by four tugs. Which begs the question just how the Shekou, which should have been in the middle of the harbour a long way from the Victoria Quay berth of the Leeuwin, finished up ramming the Leeuwin and crashing into A Berth and hitting the Maritime Museum roof. That is now the question investigators have begun looking for answers to.
A full investigation by AMSA – the Australian Maritime Safety Authority – and Fremantle Ports has commenced. No doubt the Shekou’s Master and the two Pilots on board her will prove pivotal to unravelling this major maritime incident. As too will those operating the four Svitzer tugs that seemed unable to prevent the Shekou colliding with the Leeuwin, A Berth and the Maritime Museum.
As noted, the Shekou has now been berthed at Container Terminal 3 on North Quay. Ms Ransom said yesterday the vessel will remain there until further notice. It has not been given approval to conduct cargo operations at this time.
However, other port operations, including cargo, are operating at the Port without impact.
By the way, if you are wondering, Shekou (Chinese: 蛇口; pinyin: Shékǒu) is an area at the southern tip of Nanshan District, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. It faces Yuen Long, Hong Kong across the Shenzhen Bay.
Sightseers at Victoria Quay today may be disappointed to learn that there is restricted public access to A Berth and parts of B Berth, although the public access to the Maritime Museum and and Empress Joséphine’s Garden is unaffected by yesterday’s drama.
The damage to the Museum roof doesn’t look too bad, from a distance. Freo Ports’ engineers have already undertaken a preliminary assessment of the damage.
We also understand the harbour has been swept for debris and divers have surveyed under the Leeuwin and the Maritime Museum to check all is well.
As a result of the incident, there were no further harbour movements scheduled until later last night. However, vessels have again been arriving and departing the inner harbour since around midnight last night, as this list of scheduled port movements published by Freo Ports shows.
We will watch with interest as the fingers of blame for the incident are pointed here and there. At this juncture the person most often mentioned as the culprit is Mother Nature. Squalls of wind are regularly offered as an explanation for the incident.
Whatever the AMSA and Freo Ports investigations produce by way of explanations for the incident, it is the Leeuwin itself, the good people who run the Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation, and the wonderful volunteer community who combine to give students aged 14 plus the unique opportunity to participate in true adventure, sailing for 5 – 8 days on Australia’s largest sail-training tall ship, who are the most directly affected in the immediate and longer term by the incident. For some time ahead, there will be no ocean adventures aboard the Leeuwin.
Just 18 months ago, our Shipping Correspondent, Jean Hudson, reported on the thrill of sailing on the Leeuwin. Jean’s report gives you a great sense of the adventures young people have sailing on the Leeuwin. Here’s one of her pics.
There is a real sense of grief among the Leeuwin volunteer community members we have heard from at this point. They share a real love for the Leeuwin and what it does. To gaze upon the Leeuwin right now is heartbreaking for them. We can only hope that plans to repair the Leeuwin can be realised sooner than later.
Here’s the Leeuwin alongside at Victoria Quay in better days.
STS Leeuwin, Fremantle. File photo. Credit Jean Hudson
The huge Maersk Shekou will eventually leave Port and resume sailing, but the tiny STS Leeuwin will remain amongst us, significantly damaged, the loss and the hurt of it all being felt by many for some time to come.
For more stories about the Leeuwin on the Shipping News, look here.
By Michael Barker, Editor, Fremantle Shipping News
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