Big ships 'pushing the limits' of some NZ harbours

A spate of groundings shows large ship operators and port companies are facing increasing commercial pressure to push the limits, a conference has been told.

In the past two years four incidents - including the Jody F Millennium at Gisborne and two incidents where 100,000 tonne-plus supertankers have scraped the bottom in Whangarei Harbour - showed the scope for disaster, said Greg Cox, managing director of Auckland marine survey firm Discovery Marine.

Mr Cox was a keynote speaker at the Australasian Hydrographic Society's symposium in Christchurch yesterday.

His company was called on to help salvage the Jody F Millennium which ran aground trying to leave Port Gisborne in February last year.

Port Gisborne management, the pilot and the ship's master were all criticised in a Maritime Safety Authority report into the incident.

The log carrier attempted to leave the harbour during a bad storm because it was being battered against the wharf.

Mr Cox said the harbour channel was supposed to be 10.5m deep but in fact was only 9.5m deep.

"With a draft of 9.5m and a tide of 0.8m you don't have to be a mathematician to work out the chances of leaving safely were zero," he said.

Mr Cox said many New Zealand ports - including ports with sand bars such as Manukau, Greymouth and Westport - had a fast-changing marine environment and needed regular surveys.

He was concerned that port companies and shipping agents were under pressure to push the limits.

"We've had four incidents involving very large ships carrying large cargoes with potentially catastrophic consequences for the environment.

"I think Gisborne is an example where it has come to a head. We were just fortunate there was [only] a small amount of fuel oil on board."

Maurice Perwick, a hydrographic surveyor at Eliot Sinclair and Partners in Christchurch, said port companies were well-managed but there was always commercial pressure on them.

"I think we may well have a national problem. It's my personal belief that I don't think enough surveying and reporting of the facts to all marine parties occurs."

Mr Perwick said a review of procedures by the MSA was aimed at dealing with concerns.

Stranded ships

Large scale groundings in the past two years:

6 February 2002: Jody F Millennium, Gisborne.

7 October 2002: Tai Ping, South Port, Bluff.

16 April 2003: Capella Voyager, Whangarei.

27 July 2003: Eastern Honor, Whangarei.

- NZPA

Further reading: nzherald.co.nz/marine