Latest news with #Leeuwin
West Australian
19-05-2025
- Business
- West Australian
STS Leeuwin II: Iconic tall ship smashed in container ship catastrophe leaves Fremantle to begin repairs
The iconic tall ship STS Leeuwin II is finally being repaired after being smashed by a container vessel at Fremantle Port during a storm nine months ago. The Maersk Shekou was struggling to berth in port when it slammed into the anchored ship at about 6am on August 30, leaving the training vessel with catastrophic damage and the waterway strewn with debris. But a huge relief came in October when a 'shakedown' cruise confirmed the Leeuwin's diesel engine and steering gear were functional, and that the ship was seaworthy. And on Monday, escorted by a tug vessel, the Leeuwin motored from its B Shed quayside home to the Australian Marine Complex at Henderson, where the 344-tonne vessel will be lifted from the water, repaired and refitted. It's going to be an epic task, involving 3000 lineal metres of Douglas Fir ordered from Canada and 'kilometres of wires and rope' from around Australia, Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation chief executive Lawson Dixon said. The goal is to have her back in the water for the start of the summer sailing season. Mr Dixon said discussions with insurers were in the final stages and the total price of the damage was yet to be determined, but already ran into 'many millions'. 'It's been catastrophic,' he said. 'None of this stuff is cheap. 'You can't just run down to Bunnings and pick up three new masts ... we've got to build this stuff from scratch. 'There's been a lot of work going on behind the scenes and we've been figuring out the best way to do things.' The hull was in 'pretty good shape', Mr Dixon said, but the point where the mast was attached would be a critical focal point when she's inspected in the dry dock. Fortunately for the venture, which turns 40 next year, corporate support has been strong and the specialist skills required are plentiful locally. 'We're really lucky ... the last three tall ships built in Australia have all been built here in WA,' Mr Dixon said, describing the Leeuwin as 'part of the fabric of WA'. 'There's a professional group of shipwrights and spar makers and sail makers and riggers, and they're all the sorts of skills that we need in order to restore Leeuwin back to her former glory.' Two crew members aged in their 20s and 60s who were aboard at the time of the collision - which was Mr Dixon's first day on the job - had to jump for their lives. They were sleeping in the hull when they were woken by a loud crack, and suffered injuries as they escaped the ship. Mr Dixon said it must have been a harrowing ordeal and it was fortunate no lives were lost. He is in the process of rebuilding the team after all bar one worker left the company, needing sea time with the Leeuwin out of action. 'We operate with a rotating crew of about eight ... our Master, James Rakich, was the last person standing there for quite a while,' Mr Dixon said. Captain Rakich said the boat would have the same recognisable look and there was no intention 'to change the vessel in any radical way'. 'She's one of the best boats around and there's no reason to change the elements that aren't broken.' In an ironic twist, the milestone comes after a Mexican Navy tall ship, the training vessel Cuauhtémoc, smashed into New York's Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday night, killing two people and injuring several others. Mr Dixon said that very same vessel was in Fremantle Port weeks after the Leeuwin was struck, and when its crew saw the devastating wreckage, they invited their fellow seafarers on board, offering warmth and sympathy. 'Our hearts go out to them,' he said. Anyone who wants to be part of the repair and re-rigging process can volunteer to community manager Alexandra Sinclair via alex@ . 'The ship requires a mountain of work to get her back out and sailing. We will need all hands on deck,' she said.
Perth Now
19-05-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
Ship sets sail for repair after being crushed by cargo ship
The iconic tall ship STS Leeuwin II is finally being repaired after being smashed by a container vessel at Fremantle Port during a storm nine months ago. The Maersk Shekou inflicted catastrophic damage when it slammed into the anchored ship as it struggled to berth in port about 6am on August 30, leaving the training vessel with broken masts and the waterway strewn with debris. But a huge relief came in October when a 'shakedown' cruise confirmed its marine diesel engine and steering gear were functional, and that the ship was seaworthy. Your local paper, whenever you want it. And on Monday, escorted by a tug vessel, the Leeuwin motored from its B Shed quayside home to the Australian Marine Complex at Henderson, where the 344-tonne vessel will be lifted from the water, repaired and refitted. It's going to be an epic task, involving 3000 lineal metres of Douglas Fir ordered from Canada and 'kilometres of wires and rope' from around Australia, Leeuwin Ocean Adventure Foundation chief executive Lawson Dixon said. The goal is to have her back in the water for the start of the summer sailing season. Mr Dixon said discussions with insurers were in the final stages and the total price of the damage was yet to be determined, but already ran into 'many millions'. 'It's been catastrophic,' he said. 'None of this stuff is cheap. 'You can't just run down to Bunnings and pick up three new masts ... we've got to build this stuff from scratch. 'There's been a lot of work going on behind the scenes and we've been figuring out the best way to do things.' The hull was in 'pretty good shape', Mr Dixon said, but the point where the mast was attached would be a critical focal point when she's inspected in the dry dock. Fortunately for the venture, which turns 40 next year, corporate support has been strong and the specialist skills required are plentiful locally. 'We're really lucky ... the last three tall ships built in Australia have all been built here in WA,' Mr Dixon said. 'There's a professional group of shipwrights and spar makers and sail makers and riggers, and they're all the sorts of skills that we need in order to restore Leeuwin back to her former glory.' Two crew members aged in their 20s and 60s who were aboard at the time of the collision - which was Mr Dixon's first day on the job - had to jump for their lives. They were sleeping in the hull when they were woken by a loud crack, and suffered injuries as they escaped the ship. Mr Dixon said it must have been a harrowing ordeal and it was fortunate no lives were lost. He is in the process of rebuilding the team after all bar one worker left the company, needing sea time with the Leeuwin out of action. 'We operate with a rotating crew of about eight ... our Master, James Rakich, was the last person standing there for quite a while,' Mr Dixon said. Captain Rakich said the boat would have the same recognisable look and there was no intention 'to change the vessel in any radical way'. 'She's one of the best boats around and there's no reason to change the elements that aren't broken.' In an ironic twist, the milestone comes after a Mexican Navy tall ship, the training vessel Cuauhtémoc, smashed into New York's Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday night, killing two people and injuring several others. Mr Dixon said that very same vessel was in Fremantle Port weeks after the Leeuwin was struck, saw the wreckage being demolished and invited the crew on board, offering their sympathy. ' Anyone who wants to be part of the repair and re-rigging process can volunteer to community manager Alexandra Sinclair via alex@ 'The ship requires a mountain of work to get her back out and sailing. We will need all hands on deck,' she said.
Sydney Morning Herald
18-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
WA news LIVE: Leeuwin sails from Fremantle in repair milestone
Latest posts Latest posts 9.30am Leeuwin sails from Fremantle as repairs continue The iconic Leeewin tall ship, destroyed by a container ship nine months ago, will depart Fremantle Port today as it marks a major milestone in its repair journey. The sailing vessel was crushed by a 332-metre ship as the larger vessel came into port in August, leaving the Leeuwin de-masted. But Leeuwin chief executive Lawson Dixon told 9 News Perth to ship would be leaving port today for the first time in months. 'It's a full on job, essentially everything above deck needs to be replaced,' he said. 'It's stopped us from sailing. We had big plans this year, we'd hoped to go on quite a few voyages and get about 2500 trainees sailing this year, but unfortunately, we've had to delay that. 'Today is an exciting day, for the first time in months, we're able to leave the berth here at Fremantle Port, and we're heading down to Henderson where companies will be helping us with repairs.' 9.30am Across the country and around the world Here's what's making news elsewhere today: Former US President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones. The European Union is seeking a defence pact with Australia to deepen military co-operation in a move that highlights fears of a sharp increase in global instability. Australia is approaching an unprecedented boom in household battery uptake as installers report a post-election surge of home owners eager to seize new federal government rebates that will slash thousands of dollars off the upfront cost. 9.30am Today's weather 9.30am This morning in Perth Good morning readers, and welcome to our first live blog of the week. The football world continues to reel from the death of former West Coast premiership player Adam Selwood, sparking further debate about the AFL's role in caring for players' mental health. Selwood, 41, died suddenly on Saturday. It is the second heartbreaking loss for the Selwood family – one of football's most famous – after the loss of Adam's twin brother, Troy, in February. And in surfing news, Sally Fitzgibbons faces an anxious wait in her quest to survive the World Surf League's mid-season cut after the Margaret River Pro was placed on hold for two days. While the waves at the famous Western Australia break were pumping on Saturday, particularly early in the day during the men's opening heats, a drop in swell forced organisers to call competition off until Tuesday.
The Age
18-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
WA news LIVE: Leeuwin sails from Fremantle in repair milestone
Latest posts Latest posts 9.30am Leeuwin sails from Fremantle as repairs continue The iconic Leeewin tall ship, destroyed by a container ship nine months ago, will depart Fremantle Port today as it marks a major milestone in its repair journey. The sailing vessel was crushed by a 332-metre ship as the larger vessel came into port in August, leaving the Leeuwin de-masted. But Leeuwin chief executive Lawson Dixon told 9 News Perth to ship would be leaving port today for the first time in months. 'It's a full on job, essentially everything above deck needs to be replaced,' he said. 'It's stopped us from sailing. We had big plans this year, we'd hoped to go on quite a few voyages and get about 2500 trainees sailing this year, but unfortunately, we've had to delay that. 'Today is an exciting day, for the first time in months, we're able to leave the berth here at Fremantle Port, and we're heading down to Henderson where companies will be helping us with repairs.' 9.30am Across the country and around the world Here's what's making news elsewhere today: Former US President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones. The European Union is seeking a defence pact with Australia to deepen military co-operation in a move that highlights fears of a sharp increase in global instability. Australia is approaching an unprecedented boom in household battery uptake as installers report a post-election surge of home owners eager to seize new federal government rebates that will slash thousands of dollars off the upfront cost. 9.30am Today's weather 9.30am This morning in Perth Good morning readers, and welcome to our first live blog of the week. The football world continues to reel from the death of former West Coast premiership player Adam Selwood, sparking further debate about the AFL's role in caring for players' mental health. Selwood, 41, died suddenly on Saturday. It is the second heartbreaking loss for the Selwood family – one of football's most famous – after the loss of Adam's twin brother, Troy, in February. And in surfing news, Sally Fitzgibbons faces an anxious wait in her quest to survive the World Surf League's mid-season cut after the Margaret River Pro was placed on hold for two days. While the waves at the famous Western Australia break were pumping on Saturday, particularly early in the day during the men's opening heats, a drop in swell forced organisers to call competition off until Tuesday.
The Guardian
21-02-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
Labor hasn't delivered on more effective nature laws. It's not just embarrassing, it's calamitous
Late last spring, I was part of an expedition to Scott Reef, a magnificent coral atoll nearly 300 kilometres off the Kimberley coast. And while it was a privilege to be in such a remote and wonderful place, watching rare and endemic sea life drifting past, the moment I tipped from the boat in my mask and fins, I knew something was wrong. The water was too hot. Not tropical warm, but uncomfortably hot. Our first dive was over a coral garden at the crest of a sea mount. But I struggled to concentrate on what I was seeing, because of an uncanny, skin-crawling sensation that came over me at the surface. When I took a breath and got down past 8 metres, the unpleasantness receded a little, but on the way back up it overtook me like the shimmery, woozy feeling you get before you faint. 'Is it just me,' I asked marine ecologist Dr Ben Fitzpatrick as we climbed back into the dinghy, 'or is this water super hot?' The veteran marine scientist pointed to the boat's sonar unit. The reading it gave was 35C. Our next dive was in the idyllic lagoon near Sandy Islet. As outgoing tide drained the shallows, the water grew pearly, almost opaque, like what comes out of the hot tap at home. Where the current drove down into the deep drop-off, the thermocline was visible – you could see the hottest water colliding with the cooler layers. At the surface, it was 36C. 'Dear God,' I said. 'It's only November. Is this just a local anomaly?' The way Ben dropped his mask at his feet and looked away to the horizon was not at all reassuring. I told myself the boat's instruments were a little off kilter, imprecise at the very least. But later that day, as the sun settled into the orange sea, Ben brought up the sea temperature satellite models on his laptop. The imagery was horrible. 'You know where all this hot water is headed, don't you?' I nodded. The Leeuwin current pushes south and drives tropical water inshore along the West Australian coast. This heatwave was headed for our shores. The dread in that moment of recognition haunted me for the remainder of the trip. In December, we heard the first reports of corals bleaching in the Kimberley. Farther south, in January, 30,000 fish died en masse on the Pilbara Coast. Last week, Ningaloo reef began to experience widespread coral bleaching. Early reports had sea temperatures 4 degrees hotter than usual. As Ningaloo's many gifted photographers and videographers began to document the reef's distress, the scale of this event began to sink in. Coming so hard on the heels of the bleaching episode of 2022, this is tough to contend with. For many of us who love the reef, or depend on it for our jobs, the shock hasn't yet given way to grief. Some cling to the hope that things look worse than they are, and that coral death will be minimal. Those of us who've been studying and defending Ningaloo for decades are trapped between rage and sorrow. Because we know this was a foreseeable calamity. It could have been avoided. This is what 30 years of denial and delay have brought us. This is what current government policy settings produce, and what they'll continue to inflict on our coral reefs unless we turn back from the brink right now. These marine heatwaves are becoming more frequent and more intense. Climate scientists predicted this, politicians and fossil fuel barrackers dismissed their warnings, but here it is. Such is the cost of business as usual – more heat stress, more damage, more death, more anguish. And this is not just an ocean problem. Winter temperatures in the north of WA were in the 40s last year. Over summer they've been in the high 40s for days on end, and the coastal town of Carnarvon, south of Ningaloo, hit 50C, which is terrifying. Sign up to Five Great Reads Each week our editors select five of the most interesting, entertaining and thoughtful reads published by Guardian Australia and our international colleagues. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Saturday morning after newsletter promotion These are not just unseasonable temperatures – they are unsafe, and they're humanly unsustainable. We should not be expected to find them politically acceptable. We are on track for 3C of heating. Which means all coral reefs will die and vast swathes of the planet will become uninhabitable. The IPCC says that if we can restrict heating to 1.5C, some corals could survive, and fewer humans would perish or be forced to live in misery. But to do this we'd need to refrain from any more fossil fuel developments. That means putting humanity's long-term wellbeing first. The science is clear on this – the morality should be too. The problem is, of course, that a small cohort of people make enormous, often untaxed, profits from oil, gas and coal. These folks, and the political leaders who protect their commercial interests, all deny responsibility for climate breakdown, yet their role in delivering all this heat and suffering is clear and unequivocal. These are the people who stand in the way of our safety. So, with two significant elections ahead of us in WA, while we're still absorbing the week's bad news from Ningaloo, perhaps this a moment to take stock. Having acknowledged our extinction crisis and the climate emergency, Anthony Albanese promised to introduce more effective nature laws. His government hasn't delivered on that promise. A policy failure this monumental isn't just politically embarrassing – in the real world of blood and fur and feathers, it's calamitous. Because without positive action, precious things and places will die. That's not tragic – it's shameful. Sad to say, part of that shame can be sheeted home to my home state of Western Australia. The last-minute intervention of our premier, Roger Cook, ensured the extinction of those new nature laws. WA, of course, is the only Australian state without a 2030 emissions target – here, carbon pollution is increasing. So, no surprise that temperatures are already dangerous, fires and floods are intensifying, and homes and properties are becoming uninsurable. Polling shows that most Western Australians want climate addressed properly as a matter of urgency. But the Cook government's fealty to the fossil fuel industry, backed by local press barons, is almost tribal. Despite the science, they want to back the likes of Woodside to drill and pollute for another 50 years. That's a death warrant for Australia's corals. After this week, our shock will turn to sorrow. But while we must own that grief, we should be sure to identify its sources and use that knowledge to bring about change. Elections aren't our only opportunity to disrupt and destroy business at usual, but they're a good place to begin. Tim Winton is an Australian novelist. His new novel Juice is out now
