“MSC Napoli”轮事件引起的凤波
2007.02.28
英旗 “MSC Napoli” 号集装货箱船上月18日在英伦海峡遇到恶劣天气和发生海难(这事经已在”驾台瞭望”栏目第 32期中刊出),它本来是一件平常的海难,但因该轮并非由船长下令搁上海滩,而是由英法两国海事当局紧急单位所决定的方案和采取的行动.就因如此,来自英国各层次的评论,批评,责问和疑问如雪片飞来, 把这件事炒得沸沸扬扬.为了澄清局势和证明政府的行动,英国交通部部长曾二次向国会提出汇报.
现在就把这件事摘要列出:
出事地点=英伦海峡南部法国水域.
出事原因=因船旁(驾台下侧)钢板发生裂缝,导致机舱进水和主机停顿.
拯救方案-对海岸污杂的处理, 在英伦海峡是由英法二国共同负责.因事发地点在法国,所以他们的专家就马上到船调查,发现所面对的是一艘大型集装货箱船载有150个危险货箱和3500吨的燃料油.根据专家的意见这些物品不能让它们沉入海底因将引起巨大的污杂所以必需想法把船拖到港口卸出.鉴于离开出事地点200海哩之内法国无法提供适合港口, 因而选择英国之 Portland .
方案的更改=拖缆于18日晚接上,但在 (under tow) 时 发现船尾因进水的增加,而继读下沉,专家估计可能无法安全拖到 Portland 港口,而必需找一个附近小岛或沙滩把船搁上.
“MSC Napoli” 轮日记如下:
1/18 发生海难
1/20 被搁上沙滩. 排出之少量燃油已受到控制.
2/06 船上之 3,500吨燃料油被泵出
2/26 甲板上之货箱卸清
2/27 开始卸出舱内的货箱, 但因难度太大无法预计需要多少时间.
来自社会各层次的声音:
-船员资厉: 工会很惊讶的发现这艘英轮的船员竞由八个不同国藉人士所组成.英藉者仅二名年青见习生.
-弃船决定: 外藉船长所做的弃船决定和时问 (timing)是否正确.
-船身结构: 是否符合标准 (seaworthiness).是否跟6年前该轮在马六甲海峡出事搁在沙滩上6个月有所关连. (搁浅后在越南船厂修理三个月,和换上3千吨新的钢板).
-避难港(Port of Refuge)-这是个敏感问题为何不在法国而非要将船拖到英国而增加污杂的可能性.
-船东立场: 觉的奇怪船东在出事之后竞选择静默, 而不见发表任何公开信.公司对社会的责任心由此可见.
-船东态度: 如政府取消 Tonnage Tax 的优惠, 船东们是否会马上把他们的船队从英旗注册退出,而改挂其他低税收的国家如巴拿马等?
-船藉注册: 对于国外受益和外国经营的公司和聘用外国船员的船只竞然可挂上英旗.
-这件海难如处理不妥将会演变成灾难, 正如一位记者所写的文章, 其题目为:
A drama that never became a crisis.
对上面所提的问题,交通部部长在他的汇报中有作出部份的回答.
第一次是在2007.01.25用书面,内容于”驾台瞭望” 第32期摘要刊出.
第二次是在2007.02.01用口答议员的提问.内容以英文摘述如下:
这份报告是补充Jan.25th 的报告有关该轮自2007.01.18搁浅后迄今所发生的事宜.
During severe weather conditions on the morning of 18 January, the MSC Napoli”, a UK registered vessel suffered flooding in her engine room on the French side of the English Channel. The English Channel is a joint responsibility between French and the U.K. as regards maritime pollution incidents. The French and English authorities were faced with a large container ship known to be carrying a cargo that included potentially hazardous materials and to have more than 3,500 tons of fuel oil on board. Particular account had to be taken of the strong advice from environmental experts that the ship’s cargo and oil would need to be recovered and should not be left to sink in deep water. The effects of sinking in deep water would have been serious long-term environmental damages.
A French Government intervention team went on board the vessel to made an on-scene assessment of its condition and concluded that its state was such that it was unlikely to survive prolonged exposure to severe weather conditions. To prevent a serious marine pollution incident, the French and UK authorities decided that the vessel should be towed to a place of refuge where she could be dealt with in a controlled manner. Taking all those factors into account, the French authorities were unable to identify a suitable place of refuge on the French coast within about 200 miles. All other options were on the U.K. coast from Falmouth to Portland.
A French tug arrived promptly and the tow line attached on the evening of the 18 January. However, in the early hours of 20 January, the cracks on both sides of the ship worsened and the stern of the ship started settling lower in the water. It became clear that the ship would not reach Portland. The priority was to keep the vessel intact, as there was real concern that it might start to break up. UK authorities decided that the only viable option was to beach the vessel in shallow water, where there was a greater chance of successful salvage and decided to turn the vessel towards an identified beaching site in the shelter water of Lyme Bay.
至于船身结构, 船藉和船员等问题要等海事处(Maritime & Coastguard Agencies) 的调查才能得晓.
什么是”Tonnage Tax”? 它是2000年英国政府眼见英旗船队和吨位逐渐下降而提出 的一种优惠制度,所有英旗船舶只付吨位税,而无需缴纳公司营业所得税.对船东来说这是一笔很大的节省,因此吸引了不少外国船东到英国登记公司并把他们的船队改为英旗. 长荣之子公司 Hatsu 可能便是其中的一个. 但正如所有新制度, 有利必有弊,自从 “MSC Napoli” 轮事件的发生, 一些从前看不到的弊处就开始浮上水面.
但无论如何从这宗海难的发生我们可以学到很多的东西,如官方和政府防污杂的组织, 反应之快速, 交通部长专业的报告,专家的水平,打捞公司的专业,工会的介入,新闻的透明化和退休老船长的意见等等都可以借镜和学习.
在此附注一笔: 负责打捞的荷兰 Smit International 公司,可称世界第一. 多年之前笔者曾经跟他们打过交道,觉得该公司之人员均非常的专业.