Independent investigation into the loss of cargo from the Panamian registered multi-purpose/general cargo ship Mimasaka, off Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, on 4 October 2010

Executive summary

On 4 October 2010, 604 packs of timber veneer were lost overboard from the deck of the Panama registered multipurpose cargo ship Mimasaka. At the time, the ship was in rough seas, about 27 miles southeast of Yamba, New South Wales.

The ATSB investigation found that the cargo stowage and securing instructions that had been emailed to the ship did not provide the crew with sufficient guidance about how the deck cargo was to be stowed or secured. Consequently, the deck cargo was not appropriately secured and it moved in the heavy weather. This resulted in the failure of the lashing system and the subsequent loss of the cargo.

The investigation also found that the ship's cargo securing manual did not contain any instructions on the stowage and securing of timber veneer cargoes. Furthermore, the operations manual provided by NYK-Hinode Line for the stowage and securing of timber veneer did not contain any information or guidance for the stowage and securing of the cargo on the ship's hatch covers.

The ATSB identified five safety issues during the investigation. They include the lack of guidance provided to the crew by NYK-Hinode Line, that the shipper of the veneer did not follow the recommendations for packaging contained in Appendix A of the International Maritime Organization's Code of Safe Practice for Ships Carrying Timber Deck Cargo and that no third party had inspected the packaging to see whether the shipper had followed those recommendations.

The ATSB acknowledges the safety action taken by the organisations responsible for the safety issues and is satisfied that the safety action adequately addresses those safety issues.