HMNZS MANAWANUI

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Course/Position

Latest news

Barge to leave for sinking site this week

A key milestone in the Operation Resolution was reached with the arrival of the salvors’ tug and barge into Apia, Samoa, bringing the equipment for the recovery of the fuel and other pollutants from the HMNZS 'Manawanui'. On Apia, the salvors are working through the necessary approvals and permissions from the Samoan government to allow the fuel and other pollutants removal to commence. ssential engineering configuration changes and equipment preparation was underway, changing the barge from a cargo configuration to operational diving mode. While this was is progressing, the salvors were confirming locations for the barge’s anchoring system installations. The NZDF has specialist engineering and dive personnel providing oversight and professional advice to the salvors. Once the work in Apia is completed this week, the barge will be towed to the location of the 'Manawanui'. When the barge is in place with all the site and equipment preparations complete, work will commence on the fuel and pollutants removal. How long the operation takes will be very dependent on factors such as weather and sea conditions.

Disciplinary procedures to commence following the accident investigation's completion.

An investigation has revealed that a failure to disengage the autopilot of the HMNZS 'Manawanui' was the primary cause of the ship's sinking. A report detailed findings from the investigation into the grounding, confirming human error as the cause. Rear Admiral Gavin Golding confirmed on Dec 6 that crew oversights led directly to the incident: "The direct cause of the grounding has been determined as a series of human errors which meant the ship's autopilot was not disengaged when it should have been. Muscle memory from the person in control should have leaned over to that panel and checked whether the screen said autopilot or not." The Admiral also indicated that disciplinary procedures would commence following the investigation's completion. A comprehensive investigation will examine the underlying causes, with findings anticipated early in 2025. Actually, divers were monitoring a minor fuel leak.

Tug and barge underway

The New Zealand Defence Force-contracted tug and barge was expected to arrive in Samoa by Dec 11 in order to remove fuel from the HMNZS 'Manawanui'. They sailed from Whāngarei on Nov 29 for the anticipated 10-11 day passage to Samoa, weather and sea dependent. Following the arrival of the vessels in Apia, there will be some days of preparation required on the barge, along with appropriate authorisation and permissions from the Samoan authorities, before the barge will be towed to the location of the 'Manawanui'. Planning work has already begun on the installation points for the anchoring system that will keep the barge in place over the wreck for the fuel removal, without touching the reef in close partnership with Samoan government agencies, to ensure the absolute minimum disruption to the reef and seabed. Once the barge is in place and site and equipment preparations are complete, work will commence on the removal, recovery and safe disposal of the fuel and other pollutants from the sunken ship.