Crew visible on the stranded barge Manahau. Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission has opened an inquiry into the grounding of the barge Manahau on Carters Beach, near Westport.
Acting chief investigator of accidents Louise Cook has appointed a team of investigators that will inspect the vessel, recover the ship's records, interview the crew, authorities and any other witnesses.
The TAIC said the Niue flagged, self-propelled barge owned by the WMS Group, with 11 crew on board, was anchored outside Westport Harbour but dragged its anchors in poor weather on Saturday night, coming ashore shortly before midnight.
Cook said a protection order had been issued to preserve and protect evidence. It relates to all electronic data from the vessel such as voyage and voice data, engine room logs, CCTV and logbooks.
It would also protect onboard equipment including propulsion, power supply and anchor systems.
A digger moving concrete blocks on Monday to be used to help stabilise the stranded barge. Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee
Maritime NZ staff and West Coast Bulk Logistics (the shipping arm of the WMS Group) are working on a plan to refloat the stranded Manahau - with planning underway to bring a specialist tug vessel down from Taranaki to support a potential re-float later this week.
Maritime NZ said it was leading the government response, co-ordinating with local and regional authorities, while the operator was responsible for developing a plan around the vessel.
It said the grounded barge was carrying 100,000 litres of diesel - so oil spill response experts were working on precautionary plans for any potential fuel spills. The barge had not sustained any significant damage or leaks and had no cargo on board.
Crew visible on the stranded barge Manahau. Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee
On Monday, contractors managed by West Coast Bulk Logistics were working to keep the barge stable.
Two diggers were working to bury large cement blocks on the beach that would be used to anchor the vessel, while a helicopter had made several trips to drop supplies onto the boat.
As the matter was under investigation, Maritime NZ said it could not talk about the events leading up to the grounding.
Carters Beach Top 10 Holiday Park owner Christina Alfeld said the barge had been anchored out off the beach for a about five days and she saw it come ashore during stormy, wild weather, late on Saturday night.
"My husband was down the road at a fundraiser and he noticed the lights on the beach and he was concerned the barge had let go so he rung me up and asked for the emergency walkie, so I took that down and he was trying to communicate with the boat.
hristina Alfeld saw the barge come ashore on Saturday night. Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee
"It was stormy, you can see why it blew in, they were anchored offshore but obviously they lost their anchor and came in and ran along the beach."
Alfeld said the lights on the ship were so bright, she could see them moving down the beach and they almost blinded her while she was driving.
"We shone our lights on the shore to give them an idea of how close they were but there we realised there was no helping it, they were stuck."
She said a Westland Mineral Sands staff member was there and police arrived shortly after.
A digger working to secure the Manahau before the next high tide, Monday 2 September. Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee
Alfeld said it all happened very quickly, with the lights from the barge visible outside the camp, then down the other end of the ship within seven minutes.
The Manahau arrived on the West Coast in mid-August, to begin shipping mineral sands mined at Cape Foulwind from Westport to Nelson.
"They had just come back...they were just doing their second load, it was that new."
Alfeld said there had been a lot of talk in the community about how and why the barge had come ashore and whether it should have been anchored out there.
"But it is what it is and we've just got to sort it out now as a town."
Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee
The stranded Manahau has drawn crowds of onlookers to Carters Beach since it ran aground on 31 August.
Westport Mayor Jamie Cleine said he had been briefed on the plans to refloat the vessel.
"There has been the odd fishing boat come a cropper on Carter's Beach in the past but certainly nothing of this scale and quite rightly it is being treated as a significant concern, a significant event and appropriate resources are being allocated to it."
He said it was likely the stormy weather on Saturday night contributed to the vessel running aground.
"There were power outages across the district and roads closed from fallen trees so it was certainly one of the rougher nights we've had and it wouldn't have been very nice for the crew out there and not very nice when they found themselves in difficulty in those conditions.
"Fingers crossed all those logistics come together and when the time is right they can get the Manahau back in deeper water."
One of the propellers broken off the Manahau on Carters Beach. Photo: RNZ / Samantha Gee
A spokesperson for Westland Mineral Sands said it had engaged a specialist recovery team to assist with the recovery of the barge.
All 11 crew remained on board and additional food supplies had been delivered to them.
Westland Mineral Sands said it continued to work closely with local councils and Maritime New Zealand.
It had also engaged an independent expert to conduct a thorough investigation to determine how the incident occurred.