Poor management and mobile phone distraction contributed to a collision between a container vessel and iconic sailing ship Leeuwin II that caused significant damage and injured two crew.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau released its report into the August 2024 incident on Monday, just days after the 1850s-style sail-training ship sailed back into Fremantle Port following extensive repairs.
The 333-metre Singapore-flagged Maersk Shekou was being navigated into Fremantle by two harbour pilots and four tug boats in stormy, windy conditions when the collision occurred.
The transport safety bureau found the pilot did not provide the helmsman with a course alteration instruction, the bridge team did not adequately monitor the process and the secondary pilot "was occupied in non-essential phone activity at the critical stage of the passage".
Audio from the ship's bridge revealed the rest of the bridge team did not detect the primary pilot's failure to order a turn into the inner harbour.
"With neither pilot nor the ship's bridge team observing the actions of the helmsman, the primary pilot informed the secondary pilot that they were in trouble, resulting in the latter then concluding their phone call at 6.15am," the report stated.
The bow of the container ship, carrying more than 4100 containers, struck the Leeuwin and the vessel's stern hit a berth and the roof of the WA Maritime Museum.
The 55m Leeuwin was dismasted and suffered catastrophic damage. Two crew members sustained minor injuries.
The container ship sustained minor damage, including a hull breach.
Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said the transport safety bureau found the ship's bridge team – comprising the two pilots and the ship's crew – ineffectively implemented bridge resource management practices.
"A properly functioning bridge team requires that all its members maintain a shared mental model to actively monitor a ship's progress," Mr Mitchell said.
The secondary pilot was distracted from their responsibilities, engaged in a non-essential mobile phone call as the ship was transiting a critical area, the investigation found.
"This meant they ... did not identify that the lead pilot had not ordered a course alteration, and that the helmsman's actions were opposing the ship's planned turn," Mr Mitchell said.
In response to the findings, Fremantle Ports had updated its procedures, and improved training and weather monitoring.
After 14 months of repairs costing millions of dollars, the Leeuwin returned to Fremantle on October 23 and its sail training program will resume early in 2026.
