ATSB: Crew Training Gaps Left Cargo Ship Without Steering in Bass Strait

A mechanical fault left a Bass Strait cargo vessel without steering for more than eight hours after the crew was unable to use an available backup steering system because the master had not been adequately trained on its operation, according to an investigation released Tuesday by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB). 

The incident occurred late on July 23, 2025, as the 44.6-meter mixed cargo vessel Matthew Flinders III was sailing from Bridport, Tasmania, to Lady Barron on Flinders Island carrying fertilizer and agricultural machinery. About four nautical miles north of Waterhouse Island, an autopilot alarm sounded after the ship’s rudders