Summary
Summary ofof Chemical
Chemical Tanker
Tanker Accident
Accident
at-nada, Japanat Kumano
Kumano-nada,Japan

Mitsuyoshi
Mitsuyoshi NOMATANOMATA
Director,Director,

MarineMarine Environment
Environment Protection
Protection && Disaster
Disaster Prevention
Prevention
Division,Division, Guard
Guard && Rescue
Rescue Department
Department
Japan
Japan Coast
Coast Guard
Guard

OutlineOutline ofof thethe Accident
Accident
Time and date of accident: 04:05, July 15, 2005
Location: 12.5 n-miles southeast off Mikisaki, Owase City, Mie Prefecture
Ship: Tanker "Kyokuyo-maru", 697GT, 7 crew onboard.
Cargo transported: Approximately 2,000-kl of Reformate(Trade name: DM Reformate, mixture of Benzene, Toluene, Xylene, etc.)

Outline of accident: The Kyokuyo-maru and the chemical tanker "Nikkomaru" collided and a fire broke out on the Kyokuyomaru. After the fire became under control, theKyokuyo-maru sank on July 23. The following slides
illustrate the Kyokuyo-maru from the time ofcollision to submergence.

1

Geometrical relation of the two vessels when thecollision took place
Kyokuyo-maru
Nikko-maru

Kyokuyo-maru

nmNikko-maruSource: http://www.mlit.go.jp/maia/03houdou/houdou18/180126yhr.pdf
http://www.mlit.go.jp/maia/03houdou/houdou18/180126yhr.pdf- Nikko-maru’s bow collided with Kyokuyo-maru’s starboard-side bridge.
- 2 of the 7 crew members of Kyokuyo-maru jumped into the sea (one of them died).
- The remaining five were missing. → Search and rescue operation was undertaken atsea.→ A Special Rescue Team searched for them in the vessel before the fire wascompletely extinguished and discovered the remains of the five missing crew members.

Track chart of Kyokuyo-maru from collision to submersion
Kyokuyo
Kyokuyo-maru②

Aichi Prefecture

7/16 00:00 The nearest pointfrom the coast at about 6 kmsoutheast off Mikisaki

Shizuoka Prefecture

07:10 Towing wire was③ 7/16
fixed and towing started.

Mie Prefecture

Mikisaki×④ 7/17 18:05 Fire under control
was confirmed.

①

7/15 04:05 Collision and fire atabout 23 km south-southeast offMikisaki⑤
7/23 17:44 Kyokuyo-maru sankat about 110 km southeast off
Mikisaki (depth of water: about
4,400 m).

沈没時の沈没時の状況

Main stream of the Black Current

2Characteristics
Characteristics ofof Reformate
Reformate
Physicochemical Properties
Vapor pressure: Approx. 250 mmHg⇒(cf. Water: 49 mmHg; 6 times as much as water)
Specific gravity: 0.760
Solubility: Does not dissolve in water.

Flammability:
Flash point: -20℃℃(-4F) or below
Ignition point: approx. 300℃℃(572F)

Toxicity:
Carcinogenic to humans

Section 1. Extinguishing the Ship Fire3

Studies-extinguishing
Studies before
before fire
fire-extinguishing
waswas undertaken
undertaken①① Identifying
Identifying thethe dangerous
dangerous areaarea② Evaluating the possibility of explosion③ Fire-extinguishing method, etc.
Fire-extinguishing

Fire-extinguishing strategy
at the beginning (1st day)① Spraying water for cooling down
② Spraying foam fire-extinguishing agent③ Spraying powder fire-extinguishing agent

This picture: Fire-extinguishing drill

4Action taken to prevent the vessel from nearing the coast (Spraying water on the vessel)

Mie prefecture

Collision at about
23 km southsoutheast off
Mikisaki (7/1504:05)

Owase city
Mikisaki×

From midnight of 7/15 toearly morning of 7/16
Sprayingwater fromthe coastside toKyokuyomaru

Kyokuyo-maru

The nearest position
from the coast atabout 6 km
southeast off
Mikisaki (7/16 00:00)

Kyokuyo-maru in the fire just before leaving
the position where the collision took place5Undertaking towing (2nd day)04:30 The fire began to die down.
⇒Fixing a towing wire was discussed.
05:43 Special Rescue Team boarded the vessel and fixed
the towing wire.
07:10 A patrol vessel started towing toward the open sea.

Fire-extinguishing was successfully undertaken again.

Section 2. Extinguishing the Fire,
Confirming the Fire Extinguished,
Investigating Remaining Oil, etc.

6Actions
Actions taken
taken byby eacheach unit
unit
Fireboats●Fire-extinguishing activity by spraying water, etc.

Special Rescue Team
●Confirming safety by using gas detector●Confirming the result of fire-extinguishing●Searching for missing persons in the damaged vessel

National Strike Team
●Investigating the hull damage●Investigating the status of cargo●Investigating the remaining fuel oil

Risks
Risks inin thethe rescue
rescue operation,operation,
investigating
investigating activities,activities, etc.
etc.
○ Immediate risk
- Existence of remaining fire, and possible re-ignition- Possible toxic gas accumulation○ Long––term risk
- Heel of the hull and possible submersion due to worsening weather- Possible secondary damage associated with the rescue operation(re-ignition, explosion, etc.)- Possible drifting ashore with continuing danger- Possible danger to other vessels passing through the area
→ Defining a restricted area within 5,000-m radius from
Kyokuyo-maru- Concerns about environmental damage

7

Results of investigating damage to the hull④

C fuel oil tank
Crack

Accommodation space was burnt.

ＷＬ①

Flooding was observed from thedamaged air-escape pipes at Nos.
2, 4 and 5 water ballast tanks.

②No. 3 Cargo Tank was cracked.

ＷＬ

Machinery room №１F.T.
No flooding№５C.T.

№４C.T.

№３C.T.

№２C.T.

№１C.T.

Hole on the deck caused by the collisionat No.5 Cargo Tank (starboard)

HoleUnderwater cracks
No.3 Cargo Tank (starboard) wasalmost filled with seawater.

Gas line pipes were fractured
due to the fire.

③⑤Results of investigating the oil remaining
in each tank (Unit: kl)
Fuel Oil Tank

Engineroom

Fuel Oil Tank

Pumproom

№5C.T

№4C.T

№3C.T

№2C.T

№1C.T

№5W.B.T№4W.B.T№3W.B.T№2W.B.T№1W.B.T

153.5

244.5

244.9

218.4

143.0

155.7

249.2

252.7

216.9

143.2

153.2
Seawater 32.5

155.4

243.5
251.3

208.6

205.4

Seawater 206.6

Seawater 38.9

252.3

217.6

141.4
143.2

About 340 kl of cargo oil (about 1/6 of the total) was burnt or flowed away. Measured on 7/17
About 1,660 kl of hazardous and/or noxious substances remained. At the time of cargo loading

8Section 3. Actions Taken on the Hullafter the Fire Was Extinguished

Actions Taken on the Hull after the Fire Was Extinguished●Joint investigation of the status of the hull structure by the National
Strike Team, a salvage company, and specialists assigned by theship owner●Possible rere-ignition due to continued leakage of flammable gas fromthe cracks on the hull●With 2020-degree heel to the starboard side, risk of overturning andsubmergence increased
Emergency repair and transshipment of cargo etc. were difficult.
As a typhoon approached, towing was started off the coast on July
July 22at the request of the ship owner.

9On July 23, the Kyokuyo-maru sank while being towed (59miles off the coast, depth of water: 4,400 m).

Section 4. Future Tasks to Be Discussed- Expanding the capability to cope with HNS casualties at sea

1. Quick identification of HNS on board
・If crew casualties have occurred, quickly identify
the HNS with the cooperation of the ship owner,
the operator, the shipper, etc.

2. Creation of HNS database・It is important to establish a database includingcharacteristics of HNS and how to handle them.

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- Expanding capability to cope with HNS casualties at sea 3. Essential to quickly formulate the direction as to how tocope with an accident.

・It is essential for the parties concerned to determine what actions
actions should betaken according to the status of the accident, location, characteristics
characteristics of thecargo, etc. The actions will include designating the restricted sea area, firefireextinguishing, towing, minimizing oil leakage/spreading, oil recovery
recovery etc.

4. Mobilization of available personnel and provision ofnecessary equipment and materials

・When an HNS accident occurs, immediate mobilization of relevant teams(experts, ships, equipment and materials) is required.
・In normal times, it is necessary to prepare for the deployment ofof personnel inan emergency, to train them, and to provide required equipment andand materials.
Note: The Japan Coast Guard is preparing to ratify the OPRCOPRC-HNS protocol,and the revision of the Law Relating to the Prevention of Marine Pollution andMaritime Disaster toward enacting it as a national law.

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