This is from the CG MBI report
Part of the DOC audit included a general walk-through of EL YUNQUE, and the Traveling
Inspectors requested that TOTE open up a starboard exhaust ventilation trunk serving cargo Hold 3 for inspection. The Traveling Inspectors noted severe corrosion within the ventilation trunk and they subsequently conducted testing of the soundness of the internal structure of the trunk.
This test, which was performed in a typical manner using a hammer, resulted in a hole through
baffle plating that was required to be watertight (see Figure 27). As the Traveling Inspectors
were discussing expansion of their inspection to additional ventilation trunks, the senior
Traveling Inspector received a cell phone call from the Sector Jacksonville Commanding
Officer. The Sector Commander, as the OCMI for the Port of Jacksonville, ordered the
Traveling Inspectors to stop further inspection and hammer testing of EL YUNQUE’s ventilation trunks because it exceeded the scope of the DOC audit; the Traveling Inspectors complied with that order. However, the Senior Traveling Inspector suspected that the potential for long-standing corrosion existed for the other ventilation trunks and voiced a concern that the wastagecould present a down flooding risk if the vessel experienced severe rolls. As a result, theTraveling Inspectors requested that Sector Jacksonville conduct a follow-up inspection to checkadditional trunks for conditions similar to that of Hold 3’s starboard exhaust vent trunk.
Traveling Marine Inspectors during a February 1, 2016, DOC audit of TOTE.
Under ACP protocols, Sector Jacksonville’s Marine Inspector conferred with ABS and
requested they oversee repairs to the ventilations trunks for Hold 3, check the condition of the
other ventilation trunks, and issue conditions of class as necessary. ABS concurred with the
Marine Inspector’s concerns and required de-scaling and temporary repairs to the ventilation
trunk casings that were identified as corroded during the DOC audit. On February 2, 2016, ABSsurveyed temporary repairs to the holed and wasted areas in way of the port and starboardexhaust ventilation trunks for Hold 3 146 including the following items:
The lower 24” of the louver chamber’s inboard bulkhead was cropped and renewed.
An opening around the side shell longitudinal angle in the transverse baffle plate was
closed.
Drainage holes on both port and starboard trunks (smaller and larger) were satisfactorily
closed up.
The ABS surveyor gave TOTE 30 days, until March 2, 2016, to make permanent repairs to
the Hold 3 ventilation ducts and EL YUNQUE continued to operate between Jacksonville and
San Juan. On February 9, 2016, ABS advised Sector Jacksonville that the temporary repairs had been completed to EL YUNQUE’s port and starboard ventilation trunks that were identified as corroded on February 1, 2016. In March 2016, TOTE relocated EL YUNQUE to Seattle,
Washington and started the process of converting the vessel back to its original RO/RO
configuration for Alaskan service.
During MBI testimony on May 19, 2016, the ABS surveyor who conducted the February
2016, repair survey on EL YUNQUE stated the following when asked if problems were detectedin other ventilation trunks:
So after this was discovered we looked at the port side as well and then we
sampled other trunks to verify that they were in good condition. This one that you have
pictures of is the only one that was found in this condition with regards to the corrosion.
From March 18 to August 14, 2016, Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound Marine Inspectors
made several visits to EL YUNQUE and, despite the February 2016, ABS survey and testimony
from the ABS surveyor, recorded the following pertinent findings:
April 6-12, 2016: Directed extensive third party gauging for multiple suspect locations
on the main deck. Found evidence of long-standing and uncorrected wastage.
May 20, 2016: Examined supply vents for the Holds 1-3 port and starboard (6 total).
Observed gaskets missing; holes in vent ducts; gasket flanges wasted; and holes in the
side shell in way of vent inlets (see figure 28). Required all items to be added to the work
list.
August 14, 2016: TOTE halted work and requested to place the vessel in a lay-up vessel
to be scrapped.
December 23, 2016: Received notification that the vessel arrived at Brownsville, TX.
Changed vessel status to “scrapped” in the Coast Guard’s MISLE database.