Cougar Ace

The M/V "Cougar Ace" is a Singapore-flagged RO-RO (Roll On-Roll Off) car carrier vessel. The "Cougar Ace" was built by Kanasashi Co., of Toyohashi, Japan and launched in June 1993. Specifications cite a length of 199m, draft of 9.72m, beam of 32.26m and a maximum speed of 18.6 knots. Her Gross Tonnage is 55,328. She is owned by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines. [cite web | url = http://www.carcarrier.de/html/body_cougar_ace.html | title = Cougar Ace | accessdate = 2006-08-02 | language = German]

On May 4, 2005, "Cougar Ace" delivered 5,214 automobiles at the Fraser River wharves in Richmond, British Columbia. This set a Canadian record for the most vehicles offloaded from a single ship. [cite web
url = http://www.mol.co.jp/opensea/05_e0507ado.html
title = Fraser Wharves Sets New Auto Delivery Record
accessdate = 2006-08-01
date = 2005-05-04
format = html
work = Open Sea
publisher = Mitsui O.S.K. Lines]

On July 23, 2006, she was en route from Japan to Vancouver, British Columbia; Tacoma, Washington; and Port Hueneme, California, with a cargo of 4,812 vehicles. During a transfer of ballast water, she lost stability and developed an 60-degree list to port. There were reports of a large wave striking the vessel during the ballast transfer, but it is unknown what effect this had on her loss of stability. [cite web
url = http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/278870_ship26.html
title = Rescued crew of listing ship happy to be alive
accessdate = 2006-11-11
author = Rachel D'Oro
last = D'Oro
first = Rachel
date = 2006-07-26
format = html
publisher = Seattle Post-Intelligencer] On July 24, the United States Coast Guard successfully rescued the 23 crew members. [cite web
url = http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/278726_ship25.html
title = 23 are rescued as cargo ship takes water
accessdate = 2006-08-01
date = 2006-07-25
format = html
publisher = Seattle Post-Intelligencer]

4,703 of the vehicles were Mazdas, with about 60% of these being the 2007 Mazda 3s and 30% being Mazda CX-7 crossover SUVs. The remaining Mazdas were RX-8s and MX-5s. About 100 of the vehicles were not Mazdas, but the exact make of those has not been disclosed. [cite web
url = http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/8188973p-8082480c.html
title = Cars' values sink after vessel tilts
accessdate = 2006-09-17
date = 2006-09-13
format = html
publisher = Anchorage Daily News ] They are said to be valued at US$117 million. Later Mitsui OSK scrapped all vehicles that were onboard the vessel during the incident. [cite web
url = http://www.mazda.com/publicity/release/200607/0727a.html
title = Mazda Vehicles Aboard Stricken Car-Carrying Vessel, Cougar Ace
accessdate = 2006-08-01
date = 2006-06-27
format = html
publisher = Mazda Motor Corporation ]

On July 31, 2006, Marty Johnson slipped and fell to his death as the salvage team was preparing to return from the "Cougar Ace" to the tug "Sea Victory" [cite web|url = http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/279563_listingship01.html
title = Member of salvage team is killed in fall aboard listing ship
accessdate = 2006-08-01
author = Mary Pemberton
last = Pemberton
first = Mary
date = 2006-08-01
format = html
publisher = Seattle Post-Intelligencer] . Johnson was a forty-year old resident of Seattle, Washington and employee of the Titan Salvage salvage team from Seattle, Washington [ [http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/03/cougar-ace-salvage-operation-turns-deadly/ Cougar Ace salvage operation turns deadly] at autoblog.com] .

While initially adrift, the ship was later towed by tugboats to Unalaska Island, where it was moored next to Icicle Seafoods buoys as it was righted. On August 25, 2006 the newly upright vessel was put under tow to Portland, Oregon for inspection and repair.

Mazda officials reported little to no damage to the vehicles onboard despite the ship listing nearly 90 degrees for over a month. [ [http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/8123260p-8015575c.html Anchorage Daily News - Finally Upright, Cougar Ace will be Portland Bound] ] However, according to the US Coast Guard, 41 vehicles broke loose and shifted, and the few public pictures from inside the ship do show severe damage to at least some cars. [ [http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123641617&page=8 Canada may lose 4,813 Vehicles - Page 8 - Mazda Forums ] ] [ [http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/off-topic-discussion/9778-remember-ship-its-side.html Remember the ship that was on it's (sic) side? - Toyota FJ Cruiser Forum ] ]

On September 11, 2006, one day before the Cougar Ace arrived in Portland to begin unloading, Mazda USA announced that none of the Mazda cars aboard would be sold as new vehicles. [ [http://media.ford.com/mazda/article_display.cfm?article_id=24253&make_id=227 NO MAZDA VEHICLES ON CAR-CARRYING VESSEL COUGAR ACE WILL BE SOLD AS NEW] ] Mazda USA published a list of VINs for the affected Mazda vehicles on the www.MazdaUSA.com website.

On December 15, 2006, Mazda announced that all vehicles on the Cougar Ace would be scrapped. [ [http://media.ford.com/mazda/article_display.cfm?article_id=25049&make_id=227 ALL MAZDA VEHICLES FROM CAR-CARRYING VESSEL COUGAR ACE TO BE SCRAPPED] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.bymnews.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=110 BYM News Photo Gallery] Album of pictures of Cougar Ace incident
* [http://www.ibiblio.org/maritime/photolibrary/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=293&pos=4 MaritimeDigital Archive Media Library page] on Cougar Ace
* [http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/27/cargo-ship-cougar-ace-tips-over-4-700-mazdas-aboard/ Autoblog report on the Cougar Ace]
* [http://cargolaw.com/2006nightmare_cougar-ace.html Cargo Law updates on the Cougar Ace]
* [http://www.dec.state.ak.us/spar/perp/response/sum_fy07/060728201/060728201_index.htm US Coast Guard Unified Command]
* [http://www.bymnews.com/magazine/January2006.pdf BYM magazine Jan 2007]
* [http://www.wired.com/print/science/discoveries/magazine/16-03/ff_seacowboys Wired magazine Vol 16, issue 03, March 2008]