Decurion saga continues with repairs estimated at R2-m

18 Feb 2000 - By Staff reporter

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RAY SMUTS

ONE METRE'S difference more than likely staved off a maritime disaster on Cape Town's doorstep last month when two vessels - one a fully-laden bulk carrier - collided.
The Mother City's port captain John Woodend, who conducted an aerial inspection of the holed bulk carrier Decurion, was matter of fact when he told FTW:The damage was horrific. Had the impact position been one metre further aft she would have sunk.
The 64 211dwt Argentinian-owned Decurion, carrying more than 60 000 tons of grain, collided with the 27 103 gt container ship MSC Giovanna two miles south west of Robben Island on the afternoon of January 21.
Decurion was to have collected bunkers and a new crew in Cape Town before sailing on to her end destination, Djakarta, while Giovannna was bound for Port Elizabeth and Durban (FTW January 28, 2000).
According to Captain Woodend, Giovanna's bulbous bow struck Decurion in her number four hold, damaging the bulkhead and causing flooding to number five hold as well.
The master of Giovanna, after assessing the damage, confined to the bulbous bow and hull plating, continued his voyage.
MSC's Cape director Mike Economou told FTW: Thankfully there was no loss of life or oil spillage. When one runs a liner service one has to take clients into consideration so we went to the most convenient port of discharge, namely Durban.
The hole in Decurion's side was about 9 metres high - about two-thirds of it below the water line - and six metres wide, causing the master to call for assistance when the vessel started flooding and listing by about seven degrees.
Asked about the role of Portnet's recently-installed Vessel Traffic System and whether it had early warning capabilities, Woodend replied: VTS is only an advisory system. Irrespective of an advice it gives it does not take away the normal role of seamanship. The warning was there that the ships were where they were.
He admitted he had been worried that Decurion might bottom in the harbour, hence the immediate necessity to lighten the load.
Woodend estimated that at least 20 000 tons would have to be removed before the vessel was able to enter dry dock for repairs.
A shipping source told me the greater immediate concern had been what to do with the cargo.
The Sturrock dry dock has only two vacant slots this month and word has it that Decurion will enter the dock on February 25.
While Dorbyl Marine Durban has landed the contract to repair Giovanna at a cost of some R3,5 million - work is expected to be completed at the end of March - the owners of the Decurion have not yet appointed a Cape Town repair yard. Only two, Dorbyl Marine and Globe Engineering, have the infrastructure to handle repairs of this magnitude.
I learnt that about 50 tons of steel would be required to repair the Monrovia-registered bulk carrier but a cost could not be determined as yet. One estimate of around R2 million, was put down as pure thumbsuck by a repair yard executive.