Pacific Star Marine Investigation Report

[SY7DNEY CRUISER]

Passengers thinking of a cruise on P&O should read this report, regarding 10th July 2007 rough seas out of Auckland. Pacific Star.

 

The ship was leaking with rust present in the hull.

 

It is a wonder that this ship did not sink.

 

This is always a risk while P & O continues to send their oldest ships to Australia that were never designed for conditions in the Pacific.

 

http://www.maib.gov.uk/publications/investigation_reports/2008/pacific_star.cfm

[TommyH2006]

Very interesting reading.

Thanks

[spakman]

Reading that report I would conclude that P&O did everything right but that the surveys were perhaps a little suspect. You mix metal and salt water and you will have rust, that is what surveys are supposed to detect.

[Whoey]

I read the entire thing, quiet day at work here ok, the ship IS old P&O don't try to hide that fact.

 

It is regularily maintained.

 

It was designed according to specifications at the time which unfortunately make it very difficult to examine the interior of the Hull in most spots.

 

The storm they sailed through was extremely powerful, the existing rust spots obviously weakened over time ruptured in small area's no larger then 30 cm's and some sea water leaked in.

 

The Bow was damaged.

 

At no point was the situation anywhere near bad enough to risk the ship sinking.

 

At worst if the engine's had of failed they could have been in serious risk of running aground - that is a more realistic scenario.

 

The crew did everything they could once they got to the 'unpredicatably terrible weather'.

 

I don't see the problem here?

[Guest012]

I don't see any problem either ........do you honestly believe for one minute that P & O Australia would risk their operations license and the lives of pax by sending them out on ship which is not seaworthy ... i don't think so....can you explain what you mean by not designed for Pacific conditions... ??????

[Witchymob]

Very interesting link, not had time to read all, but pictures tell it all. Will there be a similar enquiry into the recent injuries on Pacific Sun, or wouldn't that be serious enough? That would be interesting.

[Ela 2]

Very interesting link, not had time to read all, but pictures tell it all. Will there be a similar enquiry into the recent injuries on Pacific Sun, or wouldn't that be serious enough? That would be interesting.

I think the main difference is that the Pacific Sun suffered only superficial damage (broken furniture, glassware, fittings falling over). The ship was inspected at its next port (Auckland) and it was passed as being in fit condition to sail with passengers.

 

In contrast, the damage to Pacific Star was so great that its licence to carry passengers was withdrawn and it was no longer able to operate with passengers. They were flown back to Auckland and the ship was ordered to proceed (without passengers) to a dry-dock for repairs.

 

I do not know for sure whether there will be an enquiry on this latest incident, but I think it would be highly unlikely. What would there be to enquire into? It seems that the weather conditions were worse than forecast. From the accounts we have heard, the Captain and crew acted in an admirable manner. We can all be glad that no-one died and there were no serious injuries. The ship remained seaworthy at all times.

[karmac]

...can you explain what you mean by not designed for Pacific conditions... ??????

 

I was wondering the same thing Shiona. The cruises I've been on, I find it very hard to think conditions could be any better:confused:

[arxcards]

Very interesting read. Thanks for the link.

 

I am tied up with incident reports as part of my job, and it is interesting to see the similar approaches used when it comes to this investigation.

 

Oceans are oceans, whether Pacific or Atlantic or other. They can all get rough, and can hammer any cruise ship in a storm. The report was clear that the ship would not have sustained any damage in normal conditions.

 

Hindsight would suggest that the ship should have waited for more favourable weather and seas before departing, but try telling that to a ship full of excited cruisers ready to start their holiday.

[Skyrules]

I think this is an important comment from the report

 

1.8 SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

 

Pacific Star’s management system had been developed by P&O/Princess, and was generic to ships operated by Princess Cruises and Carnival UK ships trading as P&O Cruises Australia, P&O Cruises UK, Cunard Lines and Ocean Village.

 

Which means that Pacific Sun and the Queen Victoria & Queen Mary 2 are managed exactly the same way.

[Skyrules]

Hindsight would suggest that the ship should have waited for more favourable weather and seas before departing, but try telling that to a ship full of excited cruisers ready to start their holiday.

 

We did a bridge tour on Pacific Star on our cruise last September, and Captain Jerman, who was the captain on the cruise in this incident report, stated straight up that based on the weather report he had a available at the time of sailing, there was no reason to delay departure any more than they already had. It certainly wasn't his fault that Mother Nature didn't play by the rules and stick to what the weather bureau said said she was going to do!

[Need a holiday]

We heard from people on board the Pacific Star last year and on the Pacific Sun this year that this years incidnet was far worse purely because passengers were injured but last year it was the ship. We also heard when we were still on board the Pacific Sun (rumour only I might add) that the captain had been told to divirt to Sydney but chose not to and there would be an enquiry as a result - pure speculation but who knows? We think the captain and crew were marvelous but we don't know what went on on the bridge!

 

Trish

[Skyrules]

We heard from people on board the Pacific Star last year and on the Pacific Sun this year that this years incidnet was far worse purely because passengers were injured but last year it was the ship. We also heard when we were still on board the Pacific Sun (rumour only I might add) that the captain had been told to divirt to Sydney but chose not to and there would be an enquiry as a result - pure speculation but who knows? We think the captain and crew were marvelous but we don't know what went on on the bridge!

 

Trish

 

Trish, I don't doubt you heard that rumour, but I think Sydney would have been the last place the ship would have diverted to. Suva or Vila or Noumea, or at a stretch Brisbane, would have been more likely, if indeed a diversion had been ordered

[SeaDog-46]

Regarding the recent heavy weather Pacific Sun encountered.

 

It was stated in the report by Need a Holiday that an announcement was made before the heavy roll.

This would have been just before the captain turned the ship to

"heave to" to wait the passing of the weather.

It can be seen in some of the bridge cams that the seas were behind her & PS may have been heading west [towards Australia] if south of the low at that time.

 

The master [captain] would NOT have been told / ordered to Sydney by P&O/Princess in bad weather.

He is in complete command of the vessel.

 

I have not read the report yet - but cruise ships have not suffered endangering plating damage in the past & many cruise ships are operating that are much older than Pacific Sun. Who can name some?

[qld cruiser]

Regarding the recent heavy weather Pacific Sun encountered.

 

It was stated in the report by Need a Holiday that an announcement was made before the heavy roll.

This would have been just before the captain turned the ship to

"heave to" to wait the passing of the weather.

It can be seen in some of the bridge cams that the seas were behind her & PS may have been heading west [towards Australia] if south of the low at that time.

 

The master [captain] would NOT have been told / ordered to Sydney by P&O/Princess in bad weather.

He is in complete command of the vessel.

 

I have not read the report yet - but cruise ships have not suffered endangering plating damage in the past & many cruise ships are operating that are much older than Pacific Sun. Who can name some?

 

 

Hi Seadog,

a few ships come to mind.

Marco Polo 1966

Black watch 1972.

 

kind regards, Lorraine:) :)

[Guest012]

Just a few i know of:

MS Funchal 1961 and MV Princess Daphne 1955 - world cruisers

MV Athena - 1948 what a history and what an amazing US$150million metamorphosis this vessel went through....to finally become the Athena.....due here in late December.....

 

Thomsons in the U.K have on charter The Emerald 1957 and The Calypso 1967

Maxim Gorky and QE2 both 1969 - World cruisers

Saga Rose 1965 - personal favourite...... World cruiser

 

making the Pacific Sun at 1986 meerly a teenager.....cheers shiona

[Riffraff]

I have not read the report yet - but cruise ships have not suffered endangering plating damage in the past & many cruise ships are operating that are much older than Pacific Sun. Who can name some?

 

You're right, there are lots. I can think of a few off the top of my head - QE2, Artemis, Ocean Dream, Sky Wonder, Funchal, Athena, (originally the Stockholm that rammed the Andrea Doria in '56), Oceanic, Albatros, Maxim Gorky, Bouadicca, Black Watch, Balmoral, Costa Allegra, Costa Marina, Mona Lisa, Saga Rose, Saga Ruby,... I'm sure there's more but my brain hurts..

[SeaDog-46]

As Riffraff & others have shown our Pacific Sun ex Jubilee 1986 - is not all that old & there are many - dare I say rust buckets - still operating.

Some of these ships I would not sail on even if I was given a ticket.

 

A good site is Wikipedia - List of cruise ships.

 

A lot of these ships must be getting very expensive to run with repair costs & higher bunker costs, compared to more modern ships.

 

New SOLAS rules will no doubt make many uneconomical to operate in the near future.