Cougar Ace
Encyclopedia
The MV
Cougar Ace is a Singapore
-flagged 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
.
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.
to Vancouver, British Columbia; Tacoma, Washington
; and Port Hueneme, California
, with a cargo of 4,812 vehicles. During a transfer of ballast water
south of the Aleutian Islands, she lost stability
and developed a 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.
On July 24, the United States Coast Guard
and the 176th Wing
of the Alaska Air National Guard
successfully rescued the 23 crew members.
4,703 of the vehicles on board were Mazda
s, with about 60% of these being the 2007 Mazda3s and 30% being Mazda CX-7
crossover SUV
s. The remaining Mazdas were mainly RX-8s
and MX-5s
. According to Car and Driver
magazine, the exact contents of the shipment were 2804 Mazda3s, 1329 CX-7s, 295 MX-5s, 214 RX-8s, 56 Mazda5s and 5 Mazdaspeed6s.
110 of the vehicles were not Mazdas, but Isuzu
vehicles, mostly Isuzu Elf
. The total cargo is said to have been valued at US$117 million. Later Mazda North America scrapped all of their vehicles that were on board the vessel during the incident.
team from Titan Salvage arrived on site on July 30, 2006. Led by Salvage Master Captain Rich Habib, the team was able to get aboard the vessel via a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter
from the cutter . Later that day naval architect Marty Johnson slipped and fell to his death as the salvage team was preparing to leave the Cougar Ace and board the tugboat
Emma Foss. Johnson was a 40-year-old resident of Issaquah, Washington
and employee of Crowley, the parent company of Titan Salvage.
Titan Salvage subsequently towed the vessel through Samalga Pass to the north side of the Aleutian Islands for protection from the weather using the tugboat
s Sea Victory, Gladiator and Emma Foss. It was then taken to Old Woman's Bay, Unalaska Island
, where it was moored to Icicle Seafoods mooring buoy. It was righted and redelivered to Mitsui
on August 16, 2006. On August 25, 2006 the newly upright vessel was put under tow to Portland, Oregon
for inspection and repair.
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. 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. After an extensive process to deploy all the airbag
s in each vehicle, all of the Mazda cars were crushed
onsite at the Port of Portland
by Pacific Car Crushing. The last Mazda car from the shipment was crushed on May 6, 2008.
". She is shown, temporarily beached in Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian islands, awaiting further recovery.
Motor ship
A motor ship or motor vessel is a ship propelled by an internal combustion engine, usually a diesel engine. The name of motor ships are often prefixed with MS, M/S, MV or M/V.- See also :...
Cougar Ace is a Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
-flagged roll-on/roll-off car carrier vessel. The Cougar Ace was built by Kanasashi Co., of Toyohashi, Japan
Toyohashi, Aichi
is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on August 1, 1906. As of January 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 383,691 and a density of 1,468.62 persons per km². The total area is . By size, Toyohashi was Aichi Prefecture's second-largest city until March 31,...
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
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines
is a Japanese transport company headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo. The company's main area of operations is international shipping. Its alligator logo can be seen on containers in ports around the world....
.
On May 4, 2005, Cougar Ace delivered 5,214 automobiles at the Fraser River
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...
wharves in Richmond, British Columbia
Richmond, British Columbia
Richmond is a coastal city, incorporated in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Part of Metro Vancouver, its neighbouring communities are Vancouver and Burnaby to the north, New Westminster to the east, and Delta to the south, while the Strait of Georgia forms its western border...
. This set a Canadian record for the most vehicles offloaded from a single ship.
Loss of stability incident
On July 23, 2006, she was en route from JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
to Vancouver, British Columbia; Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
; and Port Hueneme, California
Port Hueneme, California
Port Hueneme is a small beach city in Ventura County, California surrounded by the city of Oxnard and the Pacific Ocean. The name derives from the Spanish spelling of the Chumash wene me, meaning "Resting Place". The area was discovered by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo in the mid 16th century...
, with a cargo of 4,812 vehicles. During a transfer of ballast water
Sailing ballast
Ballast is used in sailboats to provide moment to resist the lateral forces on the sail. Insufficiently ballasted boats will tend to tip, or heel, excessively in high winds. Too much heel may result in the boat capsizing. If a sailing vessel should need to voyage without cargo then ballast of...
south of the Aleutian Islands, she lost stability
Metacentric height
The metacentric height is a measurement of the static stability of a floating body. It is calculated as the distance between the centre of gravity of a ship and its metacentre . A larger metacentric height implies greater stability against overturning...
and developed a 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.
On July 24, the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
and the 176th Wing
176th Wing
The 176th Wing is the largest unit of the Alaska Air National Guard. It is a composite wing — meaning a wing which operates more than one type of aircraft — operating out of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska...
of the Alaska Air National Guard
Alaska Air National Guard
The Alaska Air National Guard is the component of the United States Air National Guard operating within the state of Alaska.-Overview:Alaska Air National Guard units are trained and equipped as part of the United States Air Force. The same ranks and insignia are used and National Guardsmen are...
successfully rescued the 23 crew members.
4,703 of the vehicles on board were Mazda
Mazda
is a Japanese automotive manufacturer based in Fuchū, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.In 2007, Mazda produced almost 1.3 million vehicles for global sales...
s, with about 60% of these being the 2007 Mazda3s and 30% being Mazda CX-7
Mazda CX-7
The CX-7 is a mid-size crossover SUV model from Mazda, the production version of the MX-Crossport concept car. The CX-7 is built in Hiroshima, Japan, starting in early 2006. The CX-7 was shown publicly for the first time at the 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show in January. Production officially began on...
crossover SUV
Crossover SUV
A crossover SUV is a vehicle built on a car platform and combining, in highly variable degrees, features of a sport utility vehicle with features from a passenger vehicle, especially those of a station wagon or hatchback.Using the unibody construction typical of passenger vehicles, the crossover...
s. The remaining Mazdas were mainly RX-8s
Mazda RX-8
The Mazda RX-8 is a sports car manufactured by Mazda Motor Corporation. It first appeared in 2001 at the North American International Auto Show. It is the successor to the RX-7 and, like its predecessors in the RX range, it is powered by a Wankel engine. The RX-8 began North American sales in the...
and MX-5s
Mazda MX-5
The MX-5, also known as Miata in North America and Eunos Roadster in Japan, is a lightweight two-seater roadster, of front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, built by Mazda in Hiroshima, Japan. The model was introduced in 1989 at the Chicago Auto Show...
. According to Car and Driver
Car and Driver
Car and Driver is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. Its total circulation is 1.31 million. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, who purchased prior owner Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. in 2011...
magazine, the exact contents of the shipment were 2804 Mazda3s, 1329 CX-7s, 295 MX-5s, 214 RX-8s, 56 Mazda5s and 5 Mazdaspeed6s.
110 of the vehicles were not Mazdas, but Isuzu
Isuzu
, is a Japanese car, commercial vehicle and heavy truck manufacturing company, headquartered in Tokyo. In 2005, Isuzu became the world's largest manufacturer of medium to heavy duty trucks. It has assembly and manufacturing plants in the Japanese city of Fujisawa, as well as in the prefectures...
vehicles, mostly Isuzu Elf
Isuzu Elf
The is a light duty truck produced by Isuzu. Outside Japan it is known as N-series.The range was primarily available in Japan, Hong Kong and some other Asian countries, and since the late 1980s, also in the United States, Chile, Colombia , and Peru The is a light duty truck produced by Isuzu....
. The total cargo is said to have been valued at US$117 million. Later Mazda North America scrapped all of their vehicles that were on board the vessel during the incident.
Salvage Effort
A marine salvageMarine salvage
Marine salvage is the process of rescuing a ship, its cargo, or other property from peril. Salvage encompasses rescue towing, refloating a sunken or grounded vessel, or patching or repairing a ship...
team from Titan Salvage arrived on site on July 30, 2006. Led by Salvage Master Captain Rich Habib, the team was able to get aboard the vessel via a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
from the cutter . Later that day naval architect Marty Johnson slipped and fell to his death as the salvage team was preparing to leave the Cougar Ace and board the tugboat
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
Emma Foss. Johnson was a 40-year-old resident of Issaquah, Washington
Issaquah, Washington
Issaquah is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 30,434 at the 2010 census.Based on per capita income, Issaquah ranks 25th of 522 areas in the State of Washington to be ranked....
and employee of Crowley, the parent company of Titan Salvage.
Titan Salvage subsequently towed the vessel through Samalga Pass to the north side of the Aleutian Islands for protection from the weather using the tugboat
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
s Sea Victory, Gladiator and Emma Foss. It was then taken to Old Woman's Bay, Unalaska Island
Unalaska Island
Unalaska is an island in the Fox Islands group of the Aleutian Islands in the U.S. state of Alaska, at . The island has a land area of . The city of Unalaska, Alaska, covers part of the island and all of neighboring Amaknak Island where the Port of Dutch Harbor is located...
, where it was moored to Icicle Seafoods mooring buoy. It was righted and redelivered to Mitsui
Mitsui
is one of the largest corporate conglomerates in Japan and one of the largest publicly traded companies in the world.-History:Founded by Mitsui Takatoshi , who was the fourth son of a shopkeeper in Matsusaka, in what is now today's Mie prefecture...
on August 16, 2006. On August 25, 2006 the newly upright vessel was put under tow to Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
for inspection and repair.
Disposition of cargo
Mazda officials reported little to no damage to the vehicles on board despite the ship listing nearly 90 degrees for over a month. 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.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. Mazda USA published a list of
VINs
Vehicle identification number
A Vehicle Identification Number, commonly abbreviated to VIN, is a unique serial number used by the automotive industry to identify individual motor vehicles. VINs were first used in 1954...
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. After an extensive process to deploy all the airbag
Airbag
An Airbag is a vehicle safety device. It is an occupant restraint consisting of a flexible envelope designed to inflate rapidly during an automobile collision, to prevent occupants from striking interior objects such as the steering wheel or a window...
s in each vehicle, all of the Mazda cars were crushed
Car crusher
A car crusher is an industrial device used to reduce the dimensions of derelict cars prior to transport for recycling.Car crushers are compactors and can be of two types: "pancake", where a scrap automobile is flattened by a huge descending hydraulically-powered plate, or the baling press type,...
onsite at the Port of Portland
Port of Portland (Oregon)
The Port of Portland is the port district responsible for overseeing Portland International Airport, general aviation, and marine activities in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area in the United States....
by Pacific Car Crushing. The last Mazda car from the shipment was crushed on May 6, 2008.
Appearances in Media
The Cougar Ace was covered extensively by the automotive press because of the sheer number of new cars that Mazda scrapped after the incident. She has a cameo of sorts in episode one, season three, of the television series "Deadliest CatchDeadliest Catch
Deadliest Catch is a documentary/reality television series produced by Original Productions for the Discovery Channel. It portrays the real life events aboard fishing vessels in the Bering Sea during the Alaskan king crab and C. opilio crab fishing seasons.The Aleutian Islands port of Dutch Harbor,...
". She is shown, temporarily beached in Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian islands, awaiting further recovery.
External links
- BYM News Photo Gallery Album of pictures of Cougar Ace incident
- MaritimeDigital Archive Media Library page on Cougar Ace
- Autoblog report on the Cougar Ace
- Cargo Law updates on the Cougar Ace
- US Coast Guard Unified Command
- BYM magazine Jan 2007
- High Tech Cowboys of the Deep Seas: The Race to Save the Cougar Ace -- Wired magazine Vol 16, issue 03, March 2008
- Car and Driver gallery