Maritime authority investigating break-up of <i>Tasman Spirit</i>

The Merchant Shipping Directorate of the Malta Maritime Authority (MMA) said it was investigating the marine casualty involving the Maltese registered ship Tasman Spirit which broke in two off Karachi on July 27.

An MMA inspector based in Pakistan has been on site since the first day of the incident, collecting information relating to the casualty, it said yesterday.

It was also expected that the merchant shipping executive director of the MMA and a Flag and Port State Control inspector from the directorate will be holding further discussions on the casualty with the Pakistani authorities in Karachi later this week, the MMA said.

The MMA said the primary objective of the investigation was to determine the reasons that led to the grounding.

The Pakistani authorities are holding their own investigation.

The MMA explained that the 1979 built, 45,603 gross tonne tanker, which was certified by Class NK, grounded in monsoon weather whilst navigating under pilotage the channel leading to the Karachi port in Pakistan.

Efforts to refloat the tanker were unsuccessful and the ship broke in two by way of tanks two and three due to heavy seas and tidal effects. The MMA said that all the ship's crew had been safely taken off the ship and no injuries had been reported.

It added that although a substantial amount of cargo had been transferred to another vessel it was estimated that there were still some 35,000 tonnes of light crude oil on board the two parts. About 12,000 tonnes of the cargo has spilled into the sea. The transfer of cargo from the two parts will continue but, weather permitting, the whole operation could take about 12 days.

The MMA said that in exercise of its duties as Flag State Administration and within the spirit of cooperation advocated by International Maritime Organisation Resolution A.884(21), it was cooperating fully with the Pakistani authorities in the investigation of this casualty. The Merchant Shipping Directorate in Malta was maintaining close contact with the Karachi Port Trust in Pakistan and with the operators of the vessel in Greece.