NTSB: Cosco Busan Casualty Report Issued

Report, dated 18 February 2009 provides analysis and details of allision of Hong Kong-Registered Containership M/V Cosco Busan with the Delta Tower of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge, San Francisco, CA on November 7, 2007

Marine Accident Report (NTSB/MAR-09/01) is now available for download at the NTSB Web site. The Report Abstract is as follows:

On November 7, 2007, the Hong Kong-registered, 901-foot-long containership M/V Cosco Busan allided with the fendering system at the base of the Delta tower of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge. Contact with the bridge tower created a 212-foot-long by 10-foot-high by 8-foot-deep gash in the forward port side of the ship and breached the Nos. 3 and 4 port fuel tanks and the No. 2 port ballast tank. As a result of the breached fuel tanks, about 53,500 gallons of fuel oil were released into San Francisco Bay. No injuries or fatalities resulted from the accident, but the fuel spill contaminated about 26 miles of shoreline, killed more than 2,500 birds of about 50 species, temporarily closed a fishery on the bay, and delayed the start of the crab-fishing season. Total monetary damages were estimated to be $2.1 million for the ship, $1.5 million for the bridge, and more than $70 million for environmental cleanup.

The safety issues identified during this accident investigation include medical oversight of the Cosco Busan pilot, medical oversight of mariners in general, guidance for vessel traffic service operators in exercising authority to manage traffic, procedures for improving the assessment of oil spills in California waters; and training and oversight of the Cosco Busan crew. As a result of its investigation of this accident, the Safety Board makes safety recommendations to the U.S. Coast Guard, the American Pilots’ Association, and Fleet Management Ltd.