Maritime Union of Australia
The Maritime Union of Australia has welcomed the imminent safe arrival of Australia’s temporary Antarctic resupply vessel, MPV Everest, in Fremantle, but says serious questions need to be answered about what contingency plans were in place for emergency situations such as a fire.
Support vessel Go Spica finally reached the damaged ice-breaker late yesterday, a week after a major fire burnt through an engine room on the MPV Everest and damaged two vessels on deck. The MPV Everest is due to dock in Fremantle at 3pm.
The union said the Australian Antarctic Division and the Federal Government had serious questions to answer about their contingency plans for the MPV Everest, particularly if the fire had left it unable to continue under its own power, requiring the 109 crew and expeditioners to be rescued at sea.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau reported the fire started around 2pm on Monday, as the ship was en route from Mawson Station in the Australian Antarctic Territory to Hobart.
The ship’s crew had activated the port engine room’s water-mist fire suppression system and boundary-cooled the engine room, with the fire reported extinguished at around 5.40pm.
At the time of the fire, the ship was about 1,700 nautical miles south of Perth, and five days into a journey expected to last 14 days.
The MPV Everest. The fire that engulfed its port engine has left it able to move only at reduced speed. Photograph: Wade Maurer
Second incident this year on Australia s temporary Antarctic resupply vessel miragenews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from miragenews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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