The UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has recommended that Evergreen improve the standards of stowage plans produced ashore, increase its knowledge of the dangers of bow flare slamming and further develop its lashing gear maintenance management programmes.
The recommendations came in the investigation report published by the MAIB today, 22 July, which outlines a number of improvements to the Taiwan based company’s procedures. The containers were lost in a storm while the Evergreen vessel Ever Smart was en route to Los Angeles from Taipei in October 2017.
According to the MAIB accident report the loss of 42 containers and the damage to 34 others, on the 7,024TEU Evergreen container ship, Ever Smart, most likely occurred during a period of heavy pitching and hull vibration in the early morning of 30 October 2017.
The United Kingdom government agency said that a combination of factors resulted in a loss of integrity for the whole deck cargo bay; in particular, the boxes were not stowed or secured in accordance with the cargo securing manual. In addition, the container lashings might not have been secured correctly, said the accident report.
That conclusion was reached by the investigators even though they acknowledged that “The crew had checked the ship’s stability status and cargo lashing arrangements and the ship’s pre-departure checklist had been completed,” reported MAIB.
The master had changed the ship’s passage plan to avoid severe weather caused by a developing depression east of Japan, according to the report.
However, the boxship continued its voyage in heavy seas; rolling and pitching heavily with frequent bow flare slamming. Throughout the day, Ever Smart continued to pitch heavily and roll to about 10º to 12º, detailed the investigation. It also shuddered with vibration every 10 to 15 minutes. The ship’s course was maintained, and engine speed was kept at 78rpm.
Once the weather had abated, the crew discovered that the container stacks on the aft most bay had collapsed and toppled to port. Of the 151 containers in the stow, 42 were lost overboard and 34 were damaged. In addition, superficial damage was caused to the ship.
