Grounding of Maritime Gardenia on Alert Patches, Torres Strait

Sequence of events

On 18 August 1985, while on a laden, northbound passage through the inner two-way route of the Great Barrier Reef, the Liberian bulk carrier Maritime Gardenia grounded on Alert Patches, at the eastern end of Torres Strait. The Master had not engaged a licensed coastal pilot for the passage and, with the 3rd Mate on watch, the Master had absented himself from the bridge for about half an hour just before the grounding. The vessel suffered extensive bottom damage, four port double bottom ballast tanks & three centre double bottom fuel tanks being breached.

Conclusions

No allowance was made in the courses steered for the influences of the tide & the following sea.

The Master did not return to the bridge in sufficient time, in which to fully assess the situation, before the course alteration was due.

The 3rd Mate did not utilise all the shipboard & shore navigational aids available to him & did not sufficiently monitor the ship's position, so that the ship overshot the course alteration position.