Report out on Napoli structural failure

The UK's Marine Accident Investigation Branch have published their report into the structural failure of MSC Napoli which was to lead to the rescue of her crew in January 2007 and subsequent beaching off Branscombe. I don't intend reciting a summary of the reasons found for her failure as there are other places on the internet e.g. here where that information can be read. Go to the website of the MAIB to get the full report. The synopsis of the findings listed several contributory reasons for the splitting of the hull, one of these I noticed was the assertion that "The ship's speed was not reduced sufficiently in the heavy seas".

The MAIB arranged urgent checks to be carried out on over 1500 other ships. Of these 12 have been identified as requiring remedial action, another 10 were borderline cases whilst a further 8 were still being examined at the time of the report's publication.

This report is independent of Devon County Council's probe into the ensuing events after the catastrophic hull failure. That inquiry should proceed when the final pieces of the MSC Napoli are removed from Lyme Bay.