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A cargo ship’s crew were unable to the use of the backup control system after a mechanical fault left the ship without steering for more than eight hours. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said inadequate training on the system and unclear instructions in ship’s safety management system (SMS) contributed to the incident.

What happened

On 23 July 2025 at 2345, Matthew Flinders III was in transit between Bridport and Lady Barron, Tasmania, when a rudder angle feedback failure in its autopilot system caused a loss of steering. The failure caused both rudders to lock in the hard to port position and caused an uncontrolled turn to port. In response the ship’s master reduced engine power and alerted the engineer. Continue reading “Matthew Flinders III lost steering in Bass Strait following mechanical fault”

Fire in the engine room remains the most common and costly risk in Hull and Machinery insurance, due to the combination of flammable materials, complex machinery and human factors, according to Skuld Club. Skuld has seen recent cases of engine room fires due to (fusible) erosion plug failure. An erosion plug failure in a fuel pump can cause engine room fires by allowing pressurised fuel to escape as a fine spray, which can ignite instantly upon contact with hot surfaces. An erosion plug is a safety device built into fuel pumps, and particularly in high-pressure fuel pumps. Continue reading “Engine room fire risk highlighted due to auxiliary engine erosion plug failure”