THE BLOW-by-blow details of a bulk carrier’s main engine failure that could have resulted in a blockage of Port Hedland have been exposed in a preliminary report from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
The 7 February 2025 incident involved Fortescue’s 260,840 DWT FMG Nicola, which was departing fully-laden for China with two pilots aboard and, initially, four tugs in attendance.
About an hour into the afternoon passage along the (sole) channel at about 8.3 knots the main engine suddenly shut down, and for the next half an hour the ship veered from side to side in the channel as it slowed, edging along the eastern side as pilots and three additional tugs strived to keep FMG Nicola from grounding.
“Meanwhile, the ship’s engineers identified the engine had shut down due to a faulty switch monitoring the main engine’s lubricating oil pressure. After confirming all engine systems were operating normally, the trip lockout system was reset, and the engine was restarted at dead slow ahead,” the ATSB said.
“About 35 minutes after the shutdown, the ship had been moved away from the channel side, and its main engine speed had progressively been increased to full ahead. The tugs continued escorting the ship out of the channel towards open water, and the ship then continued its passage to Dongjiakou, China.”
The crew inspected all ballast tanks during the voyage and found no damage, and later inspections, including an underwater survey by divers, found no evidence of damage and that the hull paint was intact.
ATSB chief commissioner Angus Mitchell said while the investigation is ongoing the interim report had been released to provide timely information to industry on its progress to date.
Mr Mitchell also drew attention to failures in the processes of reporting the incident to the ATSB.
“A full report of the incident did not reach the ATSB at the time of the occurrence, and the ATSB only became aware of its potential seriousness after media reporting in July 2025 suggested FMG Nicola had grounded while departing Port Hedland on 7 February,” Mr Mitchell said.
“On the morning after the incident, the interim report details, the ship’s local agent submitted the appropriate incident reports, including to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s local office in Port Hedland.
“The notifications submitted by FMG Nicola’s master via the agent regarding the loss of propulsion incident did not, at that time, reach the ATSB,” Mr Mitchell noted.
Read the interim report: Propulsion failure of FMG Nicola, Port Hedland, Western Australia, on 7 February 2025