Barge to Innovate New Zealand Coastal Shipping Grounds in Storm

A newly launched service using a self-propelled barge that was promoted as a game changer in New Zealand’s coastal shipping ran into problems just weeks after it launched. The Manahau, a 321-foot (98-meter) barge with a crew of 11 ran aground on the northwest shore of New Zealand’s South Island during a storm around midnight on September 1. Officials fear it will be days before the vessel can be refloated and, in the meantime, it has become a local spectacle.

The 2006-built barge which has a capacity of 7,000 tonnes arrived in New Zealand in July from Indonesia where it had undergone an extensive refit. The work included overhauling the engines, azimuth drive shafts, and bow thrusters, as well as new electronics, navigation equipment, accommodations, electrical wiring, and steel plates. The vessel which is registered in the South Pacific nation of Niue, was brought up to the certification standards of RINA Class.

The Buller District in New Zealand reported the grounding with local officials saying the vessel was not loaded and was holding offshore due to recent storms. New Zealand had experienced several days of bad weather and overnight from Saturday to Sunday, there were squally thunderstorms and winds.

When it arrived at Westport in mid-August, the vessel’s operator WMS (Westland Mineral Sands) said crews would be “doing a few crossings of the bar” to ensure familiarity with the local conditions before starting shipping operations. On August 17, Manahau completed its first shipment of mineral sands from Westport to Nelson. The company reported it carried several thousand tonnes of heavy mineral concentrate which was being shipped to customers in Asia.

“Coastal shipping of bulk commodities on this scale hasn’t existed in New Zealand and our mineral sands is the cornerstone cargo that has made this investment possible,” said Ray Mudgway, WMS Group managing director. “We’ve invested heavily to ensure the vessel and operation is world-class and a game changer for New Zealand.”

The company highlighted that Manahau was a versatile vessel that would provide a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to road or rail transport for bulk material. Specifically, it provides a new capability to access smaller regional ports and rivers, “a capacity no other vessel in New Zealand could achieve,” said WMS. It will transport aggregate, construction sand, and hard rock resources.

Maritime New Zealand responded to the grounding and is taking the lead in coordinating the efforts. On Sunday, September 1, they reported the effort was to stabilize the barge. Crews were digging on the beach to create anchor points to “lock the vessel in place.” Local officials said the stern would possibly be floating at high tide while noting it is broadside to the waves. 

Following the grounding, the Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) expressed concerns over the fact that the barge was crewed by foreign seafarers and sailed under a foreign flag. “Vessels such as the Manahau operating in New Zealand’s unique and challenging maritime environment should be crewed by experienced New Zealand seafarers,” said Carl Findlay, MUNZ National Secretary.

Maritime NZ said plans would be developed in the coming days on how best to remove the vessel from the beach. WMS also said that specialized tugs were being brought in for the operation.