THE Australian Transport Safety Bureau is commencing an investigation into the grounding of the bulk carrier Hagen Oldendorff in Port Hedland on 9 April.
According to the bureau, the ship was outbound at 0140 WST on 9 April when it was reported to have had an issue with its steering due to faulty rudder indicators in its wheelhouse.
“The pilot conducting the ship called nearby tugs to assist and then took it to an anchorage outside the port, where it was subsequently reported to be taking water into two ballast tanks,” the ATSB said in a statement.
In late July and August, the ATSB obtained additional information that indicated that the ship had grounded on the western side of the channel and had moved along the edge of the channel for several hundred metres.
After obtaining further information from the port authority and the pilot company, the ATSB decided to investigate the incident.
“As part of the investigation, the ATSB will examine the circumstances leading to the grounding and determine contributing factors, including any safety issues,” the bureau said.
“The investigation will include interviewing the pilot and other relevant persons, analysing recorded data for the incident and examining relevant records and documents.”
The bureau expects the report to be complete by the third quarter of next year.
The Liberian-flagged Hagen Oldendorff was built in 2020. It has a cargo capacity of 208,586 DWT tonnes. It is 299 metres long (LOA) and is 50 metres in width.
