MATTHEW FLINDERS III
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Report: Mechanical fault left ship without steering
A mechanical fault left the 'Matthew Flinders' without steering for more than eight hours, after the crew was unable to use an available backup steering system because the master had not been adequately trained on its operation, according to an investigation released on July 7, 2026, by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB). The incident occurred late on July 23, 2025, as the cargo vessel was sailing from Bridport, Tasmania, to Lady Barron on Flinders Island carrying fertilizer and agricultural machinery. About four nautical miles north of Waterhouse Island, an autopilot alarm sounded after the ship’s rudders locked hard to port, sending the vessel into an uncontrolled turn in moderate seas. With the ship rolling heavily in a two-meter swell, the crew was initially unable to identify the cause of the steering failure. They disconnected the hydraulic steering gear from the rudder crossbar, manually centered the rudders, and used differential thrust from the vessel’s twin propellers to regain limited control and keep clear of the coast. After initially heading toward Flinders Island, the vessel turned back toward Bridport while the crew continued troubleshooting. Roughly eight hours later, the chief engineer found a loose linkage arm on the rudder angle sensor, tightened the grub screws securing it, restored steering, and the vessel resumed its voyage to Lady Barron without further incident. The ATSB found out that the loose linkage arm caused the autopilot system to lose rudder angle feedback, disabling both the autopilot and follow-up manual steering modes. However, investigators determined the ship’s non-follow-up “toggle steering” backup system remained fully operational throughout the incident. The investigation concluded that the induction training for new personnel did not adequately cover the backup steering system. The vessel’s safety management system also lacked clear instructions on using the non-follow-up controls, bridge toggle switches were not labeled, and required emergency steering changeover procedures were not posted. In addition, emergency steering drills had not been conducted at the required three-month intervals, and drills that were held did not include operating the steering system in backup mode. As a result, the master had never participated in an emergency steering drill before the incident. Following the incident, the ship's operator Bass Strait Freight updated its crew familiarisation and induction process, introduced competency assessments for new officers, and posted simplified steering mode changeover procedures on the bridge and in the engine room. The ATSB said that those measures were positive, but issued a formal safety recommendation calling for further improvements to the company’s emergency steering procedures and safety management system.
Steering failure off Waterhouse island
The 'Matthew Flinders III' suffered a steering failure on its way to Flinders Island on July 24, 2025, at 12.22 a.m. The ship’s rudder locked hard to starboard about eight kilometres north of Waterhouse Island. The crew manually realigned the rudder to midship and regained basic steering using engine power. They then returned to the Bridport anchorage in north-east Tasmania. No injuries or other damages were reported. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) launched an investigation that should be complete by the end of 2025.
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