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“The E-class has been sailing well since 2006, and the thrusters are used at every port call,” Palle adds, stressing that for now it is seen as an isolated incident. “Until we know the exact reason, however, we have as a precautionary measure instructed the other vessels in the E-class fleet not to use their stern thrusters.” At no point was Emma Maersk in danger of sinking. Naval architects have confirmed that a fully loaded E-class vessel can sustain full flooding of the engine room and still stay afloat. Large container vessels have a natural better stability than smaller vessels. Had the incident occurred at sea, it would have been a matter of getting an oceangoing tugboat in place to assist. Fixing a hole Making Emma Maersk seaworthy again is a complicated process, and Palle admits it is probably a matter of months before she can enter service again. The first priority is to preserve the equipment, which ironically means keeping it submerged for the time being. Due to its exposure to salt water, any contact with oxygen will result in corrosion. So the plan is to have underwater welders plug the hole before lifting the vessel further, after which the remaining cargo onboard will be unloaded, water will be pumped out, and the equipment will be washed with fresh water, dismantled and retrofitted. All this may sound simple enough, but there are several uncertainties, says Palle. It is still unclear whether a full dry-dock operation is needed, for instance. Even if it can be done while the vessel is waterborne, there is the question of location: is Suez suitable for the operation, or is it necessary to tow the vessel to another location? These and other questions will be determined during the coming days and weeks. Cargo operations and customer relations continue according to plan to minimise the disruption as much as possible. Meanwhile, the crew have been offered the opportunity to talk with a crisis psychologist, and those who wish to sign off have been allowed to do so. If your cargo was on board, we will contact you directly as soon as possible with the details of the impact to your cargo. If you have any questions, please reach out to your local Customer Service contact. Incident on the Emma Maersk 5 February 2013 On 1 February 2013 Emma Maersk, Maersk Line’s largest container vessel, experienced ingress of water into the engine room. The vessel had just commenced its southbound voyage through the Suez Canal en route to Asia. The captain decided to terminate the planned voyage and go alongside the nearby Suez Canal Container Terminal. Work on discharging the containers is well underway. Priority has been given to discharge reefer containers. Full contingency for all containers in booking numbers is still unknown. We are in the process of taking stock of the customers impacted by this delay and will keep you notified about the alternate arrangements. The initial assessment is that the vessel was not at any time in any danger of sinking, nor was the crew at any time in danger. There are no signs of pollution. Investigations are now underway to establish the exact cause of the problem. If your cargo was on board, we will contact you directly as soon as possible with the details of the impact to your cargo. If you have any questions, please reach out to your local Customer Service contact. Source: Maersk Line |
Palle Laursen, Head of Ship Management for Maersk Line, shares the latest update on the Emma Maersk incident that took place in the Suez Canal Friday evening. He explains that the investigation is still ongoing, and that repairs will take time.