DEPARTMENT FOR
TRANSPORT News Release (066) issued by The Government News Network
on 22 April 2008
The Marine
Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has today published a report
following the completion of their investigation into the
structural failure of the hull of the MSC Napoli.
Following a complex and wide-ranging investigation, the MAIB
found that the failure to the hull in the region of the
ship's engine room was due to the vessel's design rather
than her material condition or construction. The MAIB concluded
that this, along with the ship's speed and her loading, had
caused the vessel to break her back as she headed directly into
high seas. It has therefore recommended a review of the technical
rules used in container ship design.
As part of the on-going investigation the MAIB identified that
container ships of similar design could potentially have the same
design flaw and have identified that out of 1500 vessels screened,
12 require work to bring them up to acceptable safety standards.
Stephen Meyer, Chief Inspector of the Marine Accidents
Investigation Branch, said:
"The MAIB has worked closely with the world's leading
classification societies to identify any other vessels that may
have the same design flaw as the MSC Napoli. Out of 1500 vessels
screened 12 required structural work; until such work can be
completed, their safety will be ensured through operational limitations.
I am very pleased that, at the request of the MAIB, the
International Chamber of Shipping and the World Shipping Council
have already started work on the development of a Code of Best
Practice for the container ship industry. This work will take into
account the lessons identified by the MAIB investigation and
should lead to a much safer industry."
The MAIB has made a series of recommendations to the
International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) to
improve the current technical rules regarding container ship
design, and to the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the
owners of the vessel Zodiac Maritime Agencies Ltd to make the
operation of container ships safer.
Notes to Editors
1. The full report is available at: http://www.maib.gov.uk
2. On 18 January 2007 the container ship MSC Napoli when on
passage in the English Channel suffered a structural failure of
the hull causing the engine room to flood. The 26 crew abandoned
the vessel and were recovered by two Royal Navy helicopters. There
were no injuries. The MSC Napoli was towed towards Portland and
was intentionally beached in Branscombe Bay, due to the risk she
might break up or sink. A number of containers were lost overboard
when the vessel listed heavily after beaching.
3. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is an
independent branch within the Department for Transport (DfT) which
examines and investigates all types of marine accidents to or on
board UK ships worldwide, and other ships in UK territorial
waters. Its sole objective in investigating an accident is to
determine its circumstances and causes, with the aim of improving
the safety of life at sea and the avoidance of accidents in the
future. It is not its purpose to apportion liability, nor, except
so far as is necessary to achieve the fundamental purpose, to
apportion blame.
4. Classification societies are non-governmental organisations which:
* set technical rules and requirements;
* confirm that ship
designs meet these rules;
* survey vessels during construction
and commissioning, and
* periodically survey vessels when in
service to ensure they continue to meet the rules of the class.
5. The world's leading classification societies are members
of the International Association of Classification Societies
(IACS) and are American Bureau of Shipping, Bureau Veritas, China
Class Society, Det Norske Veritas, Germanischer Lloyd,
Lloyd's Register, Nippon Kaiji, Registrano Italiano, Russian
Register and the South Korean Register.
6. During the 1980s there were a number of losses of bulk
carriers worldwide which prompted changes to the design and
operation of these vessels. They also prompted the use of
equipment allowing masters to monitor the stresses on the
vessel's hull. As a newer class of vessel, this is only the
second hull failure of a container ship which has resulted in the
loss of the vessel.
7. The container shipping industry is a crucial link in
international trade as most of the world's manufactured goods
are carried in containers. The equivalent of about 141 million TEU
was transported by sea in 2007 (one TEU represents the cargo
capacity of a standard shipping container 20 feet long and 8 feet wide).
As of October 2007, the global fully cellular container vessel
fleet stood at 4,178 vessels with more than 1400 on order. The
largest container ships have a capacity of about 12000 TEU.
Public Enquiries: 020 7944 8300
MAIB Website: http://www.maib.gov.uk