Containers on the deck of the YM Efficiency after it was hit by heavy “rolling” for up to 90 seconds off the Newcastle coastline on June 1.
A search has located up to 37 containers lost from the deck of a Liberian-flagged cargo ship into the sea off Port Stephens during wild weather on June 1, but up to 42 containers are yet to be found.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said the YM Efficiency’s insurer, Aus Ship, and owner Yang Ming had agreed to continue the search for the missing containers.
About one hour after 11.30pm, when the ship was able to resume heading to Port Botany, it experienced a period of “quick, heavy rolling for about 60 to 90 seconds” which caused engineering alarms to sound and the main engine to shut down.
“The second officer reported hearing loud noises on deck and suspected that there had been some cargo damage. He turned on the ship’s deck lights and observed that containers had been damaged and possibly lost overboard from the bays aft of the accommodation,” the ATSB report found.
The incident off Newcastle resulted in 81 containers being lost overboard, with damage to another 62 containers and structural damage to the ship’s gangway, superstructure and lashing bridges.