August 30th 2024.
Two men were injured in a collision at a Perth port this morning, when a large shipping container collided with their sail-training ship, the STS Leeuwin. The incident occurred at around 6am, as the 332-metre container ship Maersk Shekou was being guided into berth by four tug boats at Fremantle Port. According to Fremantle Port Authority CEO Jodie Ransom, this is a rare occurrence for the port, as they have strict safety measures in place which are constantly being reviewed.
Unfortunately, the iconic STS Leeuwin was no match for the massive container ship, which weighs over 300 times more than the sail-training ship. The collision resulted in the Leeuwin's masts being torn down, as the two crew members onboard attempted to flee. They were later taken to the hospital for assessment, with one of them suspected to have a broken arm. The Chair of the Leeuwin Foundation, Jay Weatherill, expressed his shock and concern over the incident, stating that it could have potentially resulted in loss of life.
The container ship also caused damage to the Maritime Museum and pier, leading to the closure of the museum until 1pm. Luckily, the damage was mostly superficial. However, the port operations were brought to a halt due to the incident. Ransom stated that there should not be any restrictions on the operation of the container ship, but there is damage to its hull which may affect its ability to sail once it completes its cargo operations.
The Leeuwin may have sustained significant damage, but its hull remained intact. The ship is expected to be restored, although the cost and timeline for this are still unknown. The Leeuwin has been a prominent fixture in Fremantle since its launch in 1986, serving as Australia's largest sail-training ship and welcoming over 40,000 students. Weatherill is confident that the West Australian community will rally behind the vessel and support its restoration.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has been tasked with investigating the incident and determining the cause, including whether a sudden squall was a factor. One man, Sam, witnessed the incident while waiting to board the Rottnest Ferry from Fremantle. He described how several tug boats were trying to move the fully loaded container ship, but it seemed to be stuck. He also noted the severe damage to the Leeuwin, with its masts completely destroyed and the ship listing to one side. The container ship had crashed into the Leeuwin and had dropped its anchor in an attempt to stop, but it was unable to retrieve the anchor, possibly due to it being lodged at the bottom of the port.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
