The wreckage of the tug YORK COVE pictured high and dry as it is positioned to be placed on the deck of the AAL MELBOURNE (IMO: 9498456).

AAL MELBOURNE had berthed in the Port of Devonport at 5am to undertake the lift of the YORK COVE. The lifting operation was a very slow process and needed to be as a result of wind and river currents, as well as the lifting ship needing to constantly pump its ballast tanks to remain upright once the tug (weighing 310 tonnes) was lifted off the bottom of the Mersey River.

A large turnout of the local community had jam-packed the footpath along Formby Road (one of the main roads leading into the Devonport CBD) to witness the salvage. A senior resident had noted that the traffic on Formby Road has never been as populated over the duration of hours as it was on this day. The salvage operation was also the day’s leading TV news story across Tasmania.

Incident

At approx. midday on the 28th of January, 2022, the cement carrier GOLIATH (IMO: 9036430) was manoeuvring to berth in its homeport Devonport - an undertaking the ship has been doing successfully for 29 years. During the berthing attempt, the ship had collided with the nearby berthed tug YORK COVE, consequently crushing a second tug the CAMPBELL COVE that was berthed alongside of it in the process. Both tugs sustained substantial damage and had sunk in the Mersey River within a few hours. The cement carrier GOLIATH suffered only minor damage at the bulbous bow.

Fortunately, there were no crew on board both tugs at the time, and no one was injured nearby during the incident.

YORK COVE

1990-1997: HOKUYO MARU No.2
1997-1998: SEVEN STAR
1998-2022: YORK COVE

Type: Tug
Flag: Australian | Home Port: Hobart | Call Sign: VJT5694
IMO: 8844244 | MMSI: 503539400
Owner & Manager: TasPorts – Launceston, Australia
Year Built: 1990 | Country of Build: Japan | Builder: Ryochu Kairiku Unyu
Length: 28.1 m | Beam: 8 m | Draught: 3.35 m
GT: 216 | DWT: 58
Propulsion: 2x Nigatta Azimuthing Z Peller Thrusters
Bollard Pull (tonnes): 28
Speed: 13 knots