Breakaway incidents involving MSC Barbara, Viking Passama, Volans and Wide India, in Brisbane, Queensland, on 24 November 2025

The ATSB is investigating incidents involving 4 ships that broke away from their berths in the Port of Brisbane during a period of strong winds on 24 November 2025.

At 1512 local time on 24 November, the car carrier Viking Passama was berthing when gale force winds pushed the ship away from the wharf resulting in 4 of its mooring lines parting and the ship moved into the centre of the shipping channel. Two tugs assisted in pushing the ship alongside when the winds subsided.

At 1518, the container ship Volans partially broke away from its berth when its aft mooring lines parted. It was kept close to the wharf by its remaining mooring lines and anchor, though its hull protruded into the fairway. A pilot boarded at 1620, and the ship was returned to the wharf with the assistance of a tugboat.

At 1519, the container ship Wide India broke away from its berth when its mooring lines parted. The ship's master kept the ship under control at slow speed in the channel until a pilot boarded, who turned the ship downstream with the assistance of a tug and conducted it out of the port to a safe anchorage.

The container ship MSC Barbara broke away from its berth at about 1520 when its mooring lines paid out or parted. The ship drifted to across the channel and grounded on the side of the Koopa swing basin, developing a 5-degree heel to port as it settled. Pilots boarded at 1624 and, with the assistance of 3 tugs, the ship was refloated before being conducted out of the port to a safe anchorage to assess damage.

An ATSB investigation team was deployed to Brisbane and Melbourne. The team has collected evidence, including recorded data and documents, from the ships, vessel traffic service, pilotage providers, towage providers and terminal operators. This included interviewing masters, pilots, VTS operators and other involved persons.

The ATSB has commenced the examination and analysis of the initial evidence collected.

To date, the ATSB investigation has included:

• interviewing the masters and relevant crew members of Wide India, MSC Barabara and Viking Passama
• interviewing the harbour master and vessel traffic operators
• interviewing involved pilots and tug masters
• downloading and processing of the voyage data recorders of the involved ships
• collecting VHF and telephone voice recordings, track recordings and CCTV footage
• collecting documentary evidence from all involved parties.

In the course of the investigation, the ATSB has identified potential limitations in risk controls relevant to the occurrence. Examination of these factors represent a significant increase in the scope of this investigation, and it has been upgraded from Short to Defined as a result (the ATSB's different levels of investigation are detailed here).

The continuing investigation will include further examination and analysis of:

• procedural documentation from the various parties
• mooring arrangements
• contemporary and historical meteorological data
• emergency actions taken by both the ships and shore-based parties.

Should a critical safety issue be identified at any time during the investigation, the ATSB will immediately notify the operators of the ship and the port, and other relevant parties so that appropriate and timely safety action can be taken. A final report will be published at the conclusion of the investigation.