New Zealand’s Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) has issued its report on the blackout and loss of propulsion on Interislander ferry Kaitaki. A degraded rubber expansion joint in the engine cooling system
New Zealand’s Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) has issued its report on the blackout and loss of propulsion on Interislander ferry Kaitaki. A degraded rubber expansion joint in the engine cooling system failed and triggered an automatic shutdown. The part had exceeded its service life.
TAIC found six safety issues, including: lifetime management of safety-critical components; engineering decision support; evacuation standards for older ships; emergency response coordination; Maritime NZ’s Maritime Incident Response Team, and salvage and towage capability.
The incident occurred on January 28, 2023, when KiwiRail’s Interislander ferry Kaitaki was sailing from Picton to Wellington. Near Sinclair Head, it lost all propulsion and electrical power, blacked out, and began drifting towards the rocks off Wellington’s south coast in strong onshore conditions
Kaitaki’s master issued a Mayday and Maritime NZ’s Rescue Coordination Centre initiated their mass rescue plan. Numerous agencies got into action, but they did not all share the same picture of what was happening.
The blackout lasted about one hour, during which anchors arrested the drift. Propulsion was eventually restored and tugs escorted the ship towards Wellington. Near Wellington Heads, a gearbox fault reduced propulsion on one shaft before a standby engine restored propulsion. The
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