Alexandros T tragedy highlights problems of Capesize ships

Rated one of worst disasters in human terms
RAY SMUTS
WHILE HOPES were fading by the hour for the 26 crew members missing since their ill-fated ship, the Alexandros T, broke up in heavy seas and sank some 600 kilometers east of Port Elizabeth on May 3, the search was continuing as this issue went to press on Monday morning (May 8). The missing seamen are mostly of Filipino nationality but also include the 60-year-old Greek Master and his Greek first engineer. Mariners sailing between Port Elizabeth and East London have been asked to be on the lookout for lifejackets, and the salvage tug Smit Amandla remains in the area where she collected empty life jackets and debris. The bulk carrier Fortune Express, only a few hours away at the time the Alexandros T sent out a distress call last Wednesday afternoon (May 3), raced to the scene and picked up seven survivors, who were delivered to Durban on Sunday. Some accounts have it that the 17-year-old, 91 000-ton bulk carrier, laden with iron ore, started taking in water in extremely stormy seas and broke up very quickly before plummeting 3 000 metres to the bed of the Indian Ocean. Fears were expressed that the suction of the doomed vessel might have dragged some crew members under while an air force pilot spotted four or five empty life rafts, raising the possibility that some crew had not managed to reach them in time. The area between Port Elizabeth and East London is known for particularly stormy waters, including freak waves, which accounted for the demise of the Waratah in 1909. At least 400 of the 3 000 vessels which have perished off the Cape coast met their end on the east coast, among them the cruise ship, Oceanos, and more recently the log carrier, Kiperousa, which was declared a total loss. The Alexandros T was a Capesize bulk carrier, several of which have come to grief off or near the Cape coast. These include the Apollo Sea near Dassen Island, Berge Vanga near Tristan da Cunha and the Treasure near Robben Island while the Cape Africa lost a large section of her hull plating in rough seas off the west coast. Noted shipping writer and maritime educationist, Brian Ingpen, says some experts believe a “double skin” is the answer to these ships while others feel double-skinned Capesizes will be too rigid, causing more to break. Writing in a local newspaper last week, he says while the problems surrounding Capesize vessels have not attracted the same level of scientific analysis or publicity as tankers, seafarers have drowned, coastlines have been polluted, valuable cargo and ships lost and in the case of surviving ships, millions lost in salvage operations, repairs and more. “With modern technology available, urgent design changes are required to reduce casualties involving Capesize ships, unless they – and their crews – are regarded as expendable.” The Greek-operated Alexandros T was on her way from Brazil to China and her foundering will rank as one of the worst in human terms in recent years if no further survivors are found.