When Communication Sinks: Fremantle Collision Exposes Cracks in Port Procedure.

A new investigation from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has laid out a chain of communication and procedural failures that led to the collision between the 333-metre container ship Maersk Shekou and the sail-training vessel STS Leeuwin II in Fremantle Harbour.

Key findings include:

• A primary harbour pilot failed to issue a critical turn instruction as the container ship entered the harbour under storm-force conditions, despite support from four tugboats.

• A secondary pilot, present to monitor the entry, was distracted by a non-essential phone call and did not notice that the primary pilot had altered course.

• The container ship entered the port in dark conditions and high winds - both contrary to harbour rules for a vessel of its size and configuration.

• As the vessel swung away from the berth, its stern scraped the quay, gouging a 1.8-metre-long hole in its hull, and impacted the roof of the nearby Western Australian Maritime Museum.

• The investigation also flagged that the port’s risk-control systems and weather-monitoring protocols were ineffective and “likely increased” the chance of incident.

ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said that while the conditions were challenging, the incident was avoidable: “What fell down on this particular day was communication on the bridge. One error then being compounded by others not picking it up and not rectifying it.”

What this means for the supply-chain community: For logistics professionals, this incident is a reminder that even in major ports with large vessels, human error and process breakdowns can cause major disruption. The collision forced the STS Leeuwin II out of service for repairs, reduced berth availability, and triggered procedural reviews across the port.

Take: Expect tighter scrutiny at Fremantle and other WA ports, especially during adverse weather. Shippers should build flexibility into schedules and factor potential pilotage delays into landed-cost models heading into summer.

Sources: ABC, The DCN