CMA CGM Containership Collides with Beacon Due to Ambiguous Steering Procedures, ATSB Reports

The CMA CGM Puccini, a 5,700 TEU containership built in 2004, was involved in an incident on May 25, 2023, while departing the Port of Melbourne. During maneuvering in the Yarra River, the ship’s rudder responded erratically, leading to a loss of steering control. The vessel subsequently collided with a navigational beacon. Investigations revealed that the incident was caused by a combination of factors, including incorrectly set steering gear, unclear steering procedures, and crew error. The incident occurred while the ship was under the guidance of a harbor pilot [Source: gCaptain].

Causes of the Incident

The erratic steering was due to a hydraulic bypass valve left open following an AMSA port state control inspection the previous day. This valve manipulation was not required for the demonstration. The ship’s responsible officers had an incomplete understanding of how the steering gear operated, and therefore incorrectly configured the steering system hydraulics [Source: Maritime Executive].

The investigation revealed that CMA CGM’s fleetwide safety management system contained ambiguous language in its steering gear procedures. The procedures used the general term ‘steering gear failure’ instead of industry-standard terminology like ’emergency steering’ and ‘local steering’ [Source: TradeWinds].

Response to the Investigation

In response to the investigation, CMA CGM has committed to revising its fleetwide procedures, including renaming the ‘steering gear failure’ procedure to ’emergency steering procedure’ and improving overall clarity [Source: Marine Insight].

“Any loss of steering can imperil the safety of the ship, and life at sea,” said Mitchell, stressing that “unclear or ambiguous operating instructions and terminology should be corrected as soon as they are identified” [Source: ATSB].

Parallel Developments

In a parallel development, Ports Victoria has updated its harbor master’s directions for Melbourne, enhancing towage requirements in the Yarra River and adding guidance for crews experiencing main engine or steering failures in port waters [Source: gCaptain Forum].

Conclusion

The incident serves as a crucial reminder of the importance of clear operational procedures and proper crew training in maritime operations, particularly in confined waterways and port approaches.

The full ATSB report can be found here.

Sources

• ATSB – Ambiguous procedures contributed to Yarra River container vessel steering failure, Date accessed: 2025-02-15
• gCaptain – CMA CGM Containership Collides with Beacon Due to Ambiguous Steering Procedures, ATSB Reports, Date accessed: 2025-02-15
• gCaptain Forum – CMA CGM Puccini investigation report now available, Date accessed: 2025-02-15
• Maritime Executive – CMA CGM Boxship Hit Beacon Due to Lack of Crew Understanding and Procedures, Date accessed: 2025-02-15
• Marine Insight – CMA CGM To Revise Steering Procedures After Ship Collision in Yarra River, Date accessed: 2025-02-15
• Maritime Cyprus – Steering failure and contact with navigational beacon investigation report, Date accessed: 2025-02-15
• Safety4Sea – ATSB Investigation: Steering failure and contact with beacon, Date accessed: 2025-02-15
• TradeWinds – CMA CGM alters steering guidance after ‘ambiguous procedures’ caused beacon smash, Date accessed: 2025-02-15