Bulk Carrier Near-Miss Sparks Unprecedented Safety Reforms After Cliffside Incident
Nearly three years after a bulk carrier laden with fuel came dangerously close to crashing into cliffs off Sydney’s Royal National Park during a storm, the national transport safety body has issued an “unprecedented” number of safety recommendations.
In its final report, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) identified critical failures by multiple government agencies and made eight formal recommendations following its investigation into the July 2022 incident involving the MV Portland Bay.
The ship, which was carrying around 950 tonnes of heavy fuel oil, faced potential disaster when it lost power near the park’s coast. ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell warned that a grounding of this magnitude would have had globally significant environmental and economic consequences.
“This has been one of the ATSB’s most extensive marine investigations in the past 20 years,” Mitchell said.
Delays and Communication Failures Highlighted
The incident began on July 3, 2022, when a crew of 21 left Port Kembla aboard Portland Bay to evade severe weather. Hours later, roughly 12 nautical miles offshore from the Royal National Park, the ship’s main engine failed, leaving it adrift in dangerous seas.
The report revealed the ship had breached its own safety protocol, which required maintaining a 50-nautical-mile buffer from shore.
Mitchell’s findings noted a series of failures in emergency communication and response. The vessel’s master delayed reporting the engine failure, and state authorities then failed to promptly relay the information to the national response agency, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).
Despite repeated emergency broadcasts and a radio call for help, a harbour tug wasn’t dispatched until nearly five hours later. The tugs that arrived lacked the power to tow the disabled ship in such rough conditions.
Worse still, the only suitable emergency tow vessel in the state, Svitzer Glenrock, arrived roughly 30 hours after the ship was first disabled — a delay Mitchell described as “extended and unnecessary.”
Catastrophe Averted by Anchors Alone
The situation was narrowly brought under control thanks to the ship’s master deploying two anchors on separate occasions — even though they weren’t rated for such severe conditions.
“Even with both anchors down and one tug connected, the ship kept inching closer to the shoreline,” said Mitchell.
It wasn’t until more than 48 hours after the ordeal began that the MV Portland Bay was finally towed to safety at Port Botany for inspection and repairs.
Coordination Failures and Confusion
The ATSB criticized the lack of inter-agency coordination, noting that each authority believed the response was outside their jurisdiction. Mitchell said this miscommunication stemmed from different interpretations of the same emergency plans by the agencies involved.
Port Authority NSW, in response to the report, stated it played a vital role in averting a major maritime disaster and expressed its intent to collaborate with AMSA and NSW Maritime to clarify future responsibilities.
AMSA acknowledged the incident exposed “areas for improvement,” and said it has since reviewed its procedures and handled similar emergencies successfully. The agency also reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining an effective national maritime response framework and improving inter-agency cooperation.
The ATSB confirmed it would continue tracking progress on actions taken by the organisations in response to its recommendations.
