True! Actually more true than one can imagine. Thinking outside the box to do whatever to get her going is a hallmark of a marine engr.
On a separate note and off topic, I have an ongoing novelty search/prior art search for an idea of converting shunting locomotives to dual mode to all electric with batteries utilizing the existing traction motors or revert back to the standard diesel electric mode. Targeted audience are cement plants with captive power gen, utilities and the like. Helping my brother and his company that provides management contract services to these companies. Maybe he gets some brownie points if nothing else!
Has any assessment been made of the possibility for salvage and refurbishment of the Manawanui?
The wreck is in shallow waters and has not been submerged for very long (yet).
Yes it is a remote location, but international salvors would be able to mobilize necessary equipment to raise and refloat the vessel fairly quickly.
The wreck could be loaded on a HLV for transport to repairyard anywhere in the world.
2 Likes
Sure, but can NZ afford to gut it and completely rebuild it? Everything inside is ruined.
That is what assessment means; find out the exact condition, make a repair cost estimate and compare that to the cost of a replacement vessel.
PS> I assume that a refurbished offshore patrol vessel is only a stop-gap solution and not a long term replacement for the lost vessel.
The offshore patrol craft was laid up due to lack of available crew but I understand equipment was kept in a high state of readiness. After storing and sea trials it should be ready to go. Her sister ship is in commission and is fully utilised.
HMNZS Manawanui’s future is a political concern more than anything and after removing the bunkers I think the wreck will be removed. As to its fate after that my view it will go to scrap.
Very likely unless, she is raised fairly quickly.
Sunken vessels have been salvaged, repaired and returned to service before, but each case is of course different.
This is a fairly complex and expensive type of vessel, which will be expensive to replace, either by a suitable vessel from the second hand market, or by a newbuilt vessel.
If the cost of salvage + repair costs is higher than replacement costs, she may well be scrapped (or left as an artificial reef)
If she is salvaged quickly and it should be found that the value of the salvage vessel + repair cost (- insurance payment, if any) she could be put back in service.
The time factor MAY also affect the decision.
PS> I don’t know if HMNZ Navy is self-insured or not.
Looking at the PCTC “Fremantle Highway” wreck you may wonder how this can be a repair object:
The Fremantle Highway disaster ship is on board the semi-submersible heavy lift vessel Boka Vanguard of Boskalis.
Source: Fremantle Highway on board Boskalis’ Boka Vanguard, heading to China on Thursday
Boka Vanguard actually left from Rotterdam 20. Oct. 2024:
1 Like
The interim report is now out. The hangman is selecting his cordage, three are lined up.
The autopilot was engaged and no one knew it and she went on the reef at 10 knots.
Back when Noah had a ticket I called him Sir the navy didn’t have autopilots and maybe they shouldn’t have them now.
3 Likes
Oops…
1 Like
A career-ending crunch.
And I’m sure Iron Mike was only hired because of DEI… 
There sure is a lack of information however in this interim report, notably a more concrete time line. I’m interested in how long it took the bridge team to call up the Captain for the incident. Yeah yeah it’s always on the captain in the end, but just how much of this was due to a breakdown in BTM.
Was always taught that the first thing you do if your ship ain’t headed the right way, make sure you’re in hand steering and on the emergency pump. I wonder what the HMNZ fleetwide policy is.
2 Likes
Found this on Østensjø’s webpage.
The history of HMNZS Manawanui (ex Edda Fonn):
https://ostensjo.no/category/offshore/eddafonn/
A bit surprised to learn that the conversion done in Denmark and the trip to NZ was done while still under Østensjø’s ownership and management.
Looking at this picture at the departure from Frederikshavn found on RNZN facebook page one should believe it was a fully navy operation:
The Edda Fonn, our navy’s new Dive Hydro Vessel, and crew departing Frederikshavn, Denmark, for her 22,000km journey to New Zealand.
Source: Royal New Zealand Navy
PS> Bridge equipment as built (2003) is listed here:
Original design was by Skipsteknisk as type ST-253:(identical sistership)
1 Like
A bit ironical maybe:
Source: Ownership of Edda Fonn officially transferred to New Zealand’s Ministry of Defense - Østensjø
The Robertson autopilot does have the ability to accept import from navigation systems used in seismic survey systems where the lines of survey have been inputted but looking at the track supplied that doesn’t appear to be the case. For example where the lines are 100 metres apart the autopilot will start on the closest line to the danger as was done here then on the run out using a rate of turn of 3° per minute giving a tactical diameter of 1.43 miles turning to seaward reverse course for the run in the opposite direction. The next reversal would place the vessel 100 metres to seaward of the first line.
One thing that may effect things is the navy splits the dog watch so the watch changed at 18:00.
2 Likes
After an application of caffeine the tactical diameter should read 2.86 miles.
2 Likes
Nice picture.
Quite normal for the delivery to be carried out by shipyard organised delivery crew with new owners representatives on board for the voyage. In this case NZ navy crew. They would have been some of the owner reps present during conversion.
In addition to checking jobs done as per contract requirements and spec.
They would be getting familiar with equipment and creating SOP.
Probably easier than a new build as they would have original SOP to refer to.
Control system looks familiar though I don’t do DP.
HRP? Control joy sticks not a system I like. Particularly getting in and out of the chair between the sticks.
Easy to F up. If your not really familiar with it.
Some people get disorientated particularly if something goes wrong.
Just saw a video by Sal.
NZ reporting initial findings human error with autopilot.
Short version, Total BRM failure.
Lack of knowledge, understanding of system,
Piss Poor Watch Keeping, Piss Poor SOP, Piss Poor Training, Piss Poor Supervision,
Not the first time that’s happened. Seams to run in modern navies like wooden legs.
Simple error or problem turns into a complete and total disaster.
Fortunately they seam to have had emergency evacuation procedure figured out a bit better than the bridge equipment.
I will still give them good grade for getting everyone off alive.
3 Likes
I agree that you have to be schooled to use the sticks . It took me a while and I was fortunate. I had someone who was keen to get me up to speed as soon as possible. The rest of your comments I agree with.
The photo of the bridge team shows the Norwegian Master on the sticks partially obscured by another Norwegian closest to the camera. The future commanding officer and another Norwegian are both standing with their arms folded. At the back of the bridge there is an unidentified female and a navy leading seaman.
3 Likes
I simply can’t believe that the ship was heading directly towards a reef for ages and the clowns in control couldn’t stop, turn, or notice a known danger ahead with sufficient urgency to do something.
I don’t care what sort of auto pilot or control system was fitted. The officers simply have to be experts at its proper use and be expert at knowing when the ship is heading into danger and be capable of stopping the ship so they can sort out whatever’s wrong.
I seem to remember the USN had a serious collision (or two) where the steering system was blamed in some way and a lack of proper familiarity caused the command to wrongly assume a steering breakdown when a switch on the bridge console was in the wrong position.
If auto pilots etc are causing collisions and groundings, revert to helmsmen hand steering in any such situations.
I once was commissioning navigator of a ship (HMAS Cook - oceanographic survey ship) with a complicated system (360 degree retractable bow thruster, active rudder - thruster incorporated - which turned 90 degrees each way, controllable pitch propellers and joystick controls on each wing. The new captain wanted to do his first berthing with all the toys to demonstrate his ship handling but completely lost it on the joysticks.
He cried for help, ‘I’ve lost it, Pilot. Take the ship’. So I stepped up stopped everything, midships the rudder knowing full well I would bugger it up just as badly and asked the captain if he was ok to just drive the ship like he used to do with all his previous commands. We did that henceforth and never looked back.
3 Likes
It is heartwarming (or is it comic relief?), how mitigating circumstances and face-saving is sought: “…with the ship operating in challenging conditions including strong winds of up to 25 knots and moderate swells.” My gosh - 25 knots…
2 Likes
TERRIBLE!!! This trend to justify incompetence is everwhere including glorification of mediocrity . So lets blame the SYSTEM.
Dr.Sal again with interesting comments and doubts.
Did Human Error Lead to the Loss of HMNZS Manawanui? Court Of Inquiry Reveals Its Interim Findings
@Jughead above is the benchmark of competence.
If not complied with then none of the vesels bridge team members should be allowed to take the con and even be on the bridge unless for training purposes.
And it applies to all vessels
1 Like
What was unusual is the the seller took on responsibility for conversion to HMNZN requirements and delivery from the conversion yard in Denmark to NZ.
The sale was agreed upon in August 2018:
The vessel was delivered by Østensjø (sellers) crews in charge but HMNZN crew onboard to get familiar with the vessel and it’s systems.
The change of ownership, name and flag took place in Auckland 10 months later, in May 2019:
If there were any shipyard personnel/contractors onboard during (part of) the voyage, that would likely have been to finalize/commission the work done by the yard.