The sensational news about MV Mol Comfort breaking in half on 17 June 2013 while transporting cargo from Singapore to Jeddah has become quite well-known in shipping circles.
Different explanations are being offered for the cause of the vessel break. Some believe the vessel was carrying 'dangerous equipment' as part of its cargo and it may have exploded causing the ship wreckage while others say that it was due to wrong loading of the containers.
It has been hypothesized that the vessel broke in half because she was loaded with heavier containers at both ends and lighter containers in the middle thus putting extra strain and pressure on the vessel's structure during rough seas.
Still vessels are supposed to be sturdier and should be able to withstand heavy weights especially considering that the buoyancy of the water counteracts the heavy weights of the containers. Nevertheless, whatever the cause of the vessel break, whether it was improper loading or metal fatigue, perhaps a repeat can be avoided by implementing proper container loading protocols.
Perhaps by weighing containers using big spring scales or hydraulic scales, loaders can judge the weight of cargo inside the containers and load in such a way that would evenly distribute weight across the vessel.
Different explanations are being offered for the cause of the vessel break. Some believe the vessel was carrying 'dangerous equipment' as part of its cargo and it may have exploded causing the ship wreckage while others say that it was due to wrong loading of the containers.
It has been hypothesized that the vessel broke in half because she was loaded with heavier containers at both ends and lighter containers in the middle thus putting extra strain and pressure on the vessel's structure during rough seas.
Still vessels are supposed to be sturdier and should be able to withstand heavy weights especially considering that the buoyancy of the water counteracts the heavy weights of the containers. Nevertheless, whatever the cause of the vessel break, whether it was improper loading or metal fatigue, perhaps a repeat can be avoided by implementing proper container loading protocols.
Perhaps by weighing containers using big spring scales or hydraulic scales, loaders can judge the weight of cargo inside the containers and load in such a way that would evenly distribute weight across the vessel.
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