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LOW
RIDER: HMA Ships Arunta and Stuart aid the stricken container
ship MV MSC Denisse, which flooded and lost propulsion off
Christmas Island.
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Photo:
LSCSO Owen Negus
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By
SBLT Kerryn Love & Graham Davis
Two
RAN warships have gone to the aid of a 23,058-tonne containership
with 23 onboard, taking water and drifting in the Indian Ocean
near Christmas Island.
When the first RAN engineers entered the engine room they found
10m of water and the ship’s engine submerged. They had to clear
debris from the engine room escape hatch.
The engineers put markings on the inside of the hull to give them
a guide as to changes in water depth and angle.
As a precaution, the boarding teams tethered a RHIB to the container
ship so they could scramble to safety in the event she started
to go down.
During the emergency it was feared the ship would run aground
on Christmas Island She was pushed clear by some “pusher” barges
sent out from the island.
The drama involved the container ship MV MSC Denisse, a Panamanian
registered vessel. On February 23, the director of operations
for Mediterranean Shipping Company Australia, asked for help from
the RAN via the Rescue Coordination Centre.
He said Denisse was then 40 miles south-east of Christmas Island
and had a flooded engine room.
The RAN answered the call, sending HMAS Arunta at best speed to
the scene.
Arunta’s CO CMDR Warren Bairstow arranged for about 10 engineers
and shipwrights to go by RHIB to Denisse.
They took with them a Lombardini and a Pitwater pump and a generator.
The boarding party determined Denisse’s own pumps were not operating.
Her electrics were out and she was still taking water. They got
to work with the pumps and began to “hold” the water.
Divers from Arunta plugged discharge valves in the ship’s hull.
Over the next 62 hours, Arunta provided support to the master
and crew of Denisse.
At a later stage, it was decided to ask HMAS Stuart to assist
Denisse as well.
This allowed Arunta to return to Fleet Base West.
Eventually, Denisse was stabilised and this allowed the ship’s
parent company and a tug to take over command of the situation.
