1 00:00:01,070 --> 00:00:03,244 Viewers like you make this program possible. 2 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:05,350 Support your local PBS station. 3 00:00:13,185 --> 00:00:16,223 NARRATOR: March 23, 2021. 4 00:00:16,257 --> 00:00:18,087 The Ever Given, 5 00:00:18,121 --> 00:00:19,950 one of the largest container ships 6 00:00:19,985 --> 00:00:21,193 ever built... 7 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:23,644 [loud thudding] 8 00:00:23,678 --> 00:00:27,786 ...plows into the bank of the Suez Canal. 9 00:00:27,820 --> 00:00:30,271 The only thing that ran through my mind was, "Oh, my God." 10 00:00:30,306 --> 00:00:32,066 JULIANNE CONA: I posted the picture, 11 00:00:32,101 --> 00:00:33,343 and my sister's like, "It's all over the news." 12 00:00:33,378 --> 00:00:35,104 NARRATOR: It completely blocks 13 00:00:35,138 --> 00:00:36,967 one of the most important shipping lanes 14 00:00:37,002 --> 00:00:39,487 in the world for nearly a week, 15 00:00:39,522 --> 00:00:43,422 triggering a global emergency. 16 00:00:43,457 --> 00:00:46,598 No one had had a vessel the size of Ever Given 17 00:00:46,632 --> 00:00:49,221 run aground in the way Ever Given did. 18 00:00:49,256 --> 00:00:52,500 NARRATOR: Now, eye witnesses speak out for the first time. 19 00:00:52,535 --> 00:00:55,296 CONA: It was life-changing, I think it changed 20 00:00:55,331 --> 00:00:57,229 the perspective of a lot of people on board. 21 00:00:57,264 --> 00:01:01,095 NARRATOR: And using clues from former maritime disasters... 22 00:01:01,130 --> 00:01:02,545 ROD SULLIVAN: He stayed there 23 00:01:02,579 --> 00:01:03,684 to the very last minute 24 00:01:03,718 --> 00:01:06,652 to try to save the life of this one seaman. 25 00:01:06,687 --> 00:01:08,585 NARRATOR: New documents, 26 00:01:08,620 --> 00:01:10,415 expert analysis, 27 00:01:10,449 --> 00:01:12,417 and never-before-seen footage... 28 00:01:12,451 --> 00:01:14,660 ERNEST CAPONEGRO: We thought the ship was going to collide with us. 29 00:01:14,695 --> 00:01:16,800 I ordered everybody off the stern. 30 00:01:16,835 --> 00:01:19,182 NARRATOR: We investigate what really happened. 31 00:01:20,666 --> 00:01:22,875 You're dealing with a machine, really, that is 32 00:01:22,910 --> 00:01:25,223 one of the largest machines ever created by man. 33 00:01:25,257 --> 00:01:27,777 NARRATOR: Was this a freak accident? 34 00:01:27,811 --> 00:01:30,159 And how can we stop a disaster like this 35 00:01:30,193 --> 00:01:33,679 from ever happening again? 36 00:01:33,714 --> 00:01:36,510 SULLIVAN: The Ever Given was a wakeup call to everybody. 37 00:01:36,544 --> 00:01:38,512 And if those ships don't arrive, 38 00:01:38,546 --> 00:01:40,376 you can shut down an economy. 39 00:01:40,410 --> 00:01:43,310 If you didn't get the message from the Ever Given, 40 00:01:43,344 --> 00:01:44,828 you weren't paying attention. 41 00:01:44,863 --> 00:01:46,002 ♪ 42 00:01:46,036 --> 00:01:49,454 NARRATOR: Right now, on "NOVA"... 43 00:01:49,488 --> 00:01:51,421 "Why Ships Crash." 44 00:01:51,456 --> 00:01:54,217 ♪ 45 00:01:58,048 --> 00:02:03,813 ♪ 46 00:02:03,847 --> 00:02:05,987 NARRATOR: The Suez Canal... 47 00:02:06,022 --> 00:02:10,958 a 120-mile artery that runs through the heart of Egypt, 48 00:02:10,992 --> 00:02:14,237 linking the Red Sea to the Mediterranean. 49 00:02:15,652 --> 00:02:19,311 A shortcut that saves ships thousands of miles, 50 00:02:19,346 --> 00:02:23,039 and several weeks of sea time. 51 00:02:23,073 --> 00:02:25,110 [translated]: We have 18,000 ships 52 00:02:25,145 --> 00:02:26,974 pass through each year. 53 00:02:27,008 --> 00:02:31,220 We are the most important maritime route in the world. 54 00:02:32,738 --> 00:02:35,362 NARRATOR: Hundreds of thousands of containers 55 00:02:35,396 --> 00:02:37,881 loaded with critical supplies: 56 00:02:37,916 --> 00:02:40,988 fuel, food, and medical equipment 57 00:02:41,022 --> 00:02:44,785 depend on this man-made waterway, 58 00:02:44,819 --> 00:02:48,202 a narrow strip of water stretching improbably 59 00:02:48,237 --> 00:02:50,894 through Egypt's Eastern Desert. 60 00:02:50,929 --> 00:02:54,243 ♪ 61 00:02:54,277 --> 00:02:56,383 [water crashing] 62 00:02:56,417 --> 00:02:59,109 10:15 a.m. local time, 63 00:02:59,144 --> 00:03:02,285 March 9, 2021. 64 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:05,426 The container ship Ever Given sets sail from 65 00:03:05,461 --> 00:03:08,222 the south coast of China, loaded with more than 66 00:03:08,257 --> 00:03:11,674 700 million dollars' worth of cargo and consumer goods. 67 00:03:11,708 --> 00:03:15,367 Operated by the Evergreen Marine shipping company, 68 00:03:15,402 --> 00:03:19,302 it's nearly as long as the Empire State Building is tall, 69 00:03:19,337 --> 00:03:23,030 and capable of carrying 20,000 containers, 70 00:03:23,064 --> 00:03:26,309 one of the biggest container ships in the world. 71 00:03:28,898 --> 00:03:32,246 It's scheduled to spend the next 23 days 72 00:03:32,281 --> 00:03:34,766 sailing halfway around the world 73 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:38,148 to deliver its cargo to ports in Europe. 74 00:03:40,496 --> 00:03:42,532 To get there, 75 00:03:42,567 --> 00:03:44,534 it must pass through the series of lakes 76 00:03:44,569 --> 00:03:48,504 and narrow channels that make up the Suez Canal. 77 00:03:48,538 --> 00:03:51,472 ♪ 78 00:03:53,957 --> 00:03:56,477 ♪ 79 00:03:56,512 --> 00:03:59,377 The Ever Given arrives at the Southern mouth 80 00:03:59,411 --> 00:04:03,864 of the Suez at 6:00 p.m. on the 22nd of March. 81 00:04:03,898 --> 00:04:05,866 [indistinct chatter] 82 00:04:05,900 --> 00:04:08,903 Captain Reda Ahmed oversees this section of the Canal. 83 00:04:10,180 --> 00:04:11,699 [translated]: I was working as the head 84 00:04:11,734 --> 00:04:13,529 of sea traffic in Port Tawfik. 85 00:04:13,563 --> 00:04:16,773 NARRATOR: Reda is a veteran mariner 86 00:04:16,808 --> 00:04:19,880 who has worked with the Suez Canal Authority for 26 years. 87 00:04:19,914 --> 00:04:22,400 ♪ 88 00:04:22,434 --> 00:04:25,023 He manages a team of local maritime pilots, 89 00:04:25,057 --> 00:04:27,439 expert sailors who board 90 00:04:27,474 --> 00:04:31,029 every vessel to help guide it through the canal. 91 00:04:31,063 --> 00:04:34,757 In the south, the waterway is too narrow 92 00:04:34,791 --> 00:04:37,207 for big ships to pass each other, 93 00:04:37,242 --> 00:04:39,796 so Reda organizes the vessels heading north 94 00:04:39,831 --> 00:04:43,697 into one-way convoys sailing single file. 95 00:04:43,731 --> 00:04:46,251 [translated]: The speed of the ships at the front of the convoy 96 00:04:46,286 --> 00:04:47,770 is different to the speed of the ships 97 00:04:47,804 --> 00:04:49,289 at the back of the convoy. 98 00:04:49,323 --> 00:04:51,808 CONA: It's slow moving, it's a very long day. 99 00:04:51,843 --> 00:04:55,053 It's the last major obstacle 100 00:04:55,087 --> 00:04:57,676 before you're going back across the Atlantic, headed... 101 00:04:57,711 --> 00:04:58,988 headed home. 102 00:04:59,022 --> 00:05:02,267 NARRATOR: Julianne Cona is on the ship directly 103 00:05:02,302 --> 00:05:06,202 behind the Ever Given, the Maersk Denver. 104 00:05:06,236 --> 00:05:08,894 With eight years' experience, 105 00:05:08,929 --> 00:05:12,519 Julianne has sailed the Suez a dozen times before, 106 00:05:12,553 --> 00:05:15,453 working as an engineer in the ship's engine room. 107 00:05:15,487 --> 00:05:17,420 Being aboard these vessels, 108 00:05:17,455 --> 00:05:19,871 it can be challenging at times. 109 00:05:19,905 --> 00:05:21,700 Things constantly are changing, 110 00:05:21,735 --> 00:05:23,357 but you kind of learn to roll with it. 111 00:05:23,392 --> 00:05:27,085 NARRATOR: For the biggest ships, navigating the Suez 112 00:05:27,119 --> 00:05:29,052 is a serious challenge. 113 00:05:29,087 --> 00:05:31,986 CONA: You've got land on both sides of you, 114 00:05:32,021 --> 00:05:34,506 you've got a ship in front of you and a ship behind you, 115 00:05:34,541 --> 00:05:38,061 and the slightest misstep on anybody's part 116 00:05:38,096 --> 00:05:40,616 could end in a maritime accident. 117 00:05:42,307 --> 00:05:44,689 NARRATOR: At 7:00 a.m., the Ever Given sets course 118 00:05:44,723 --> 00:05:47,485 from the Gulf of Suez to the canal entrance, 119 00:05:47,519 --> 00:05:50,833 as part of a convoy of 20 ships. 120 00:05:50,867 --> 00:05:54,595 The Maersk Denver is just ten minutes behind. 121 00:05:56,425 --> 00:06:00,429 CAPONEGRO: I got on watch at midnight and from then on, 122 00:06:00,463 --> 00:06:04,950 it was calm, calm, and then the wind started coming. 123 00:06:04,985 --> 00:06:09,334 NARRATOR: Ernie Caponegro has been a licensed officer for six years, 124 00:06:09,369 --> 00:06:12,302 sailing cargo ships all over the world. 125 00:06:12,337 --> 00:06:14,443 CAPONEGRO: Wind picked up suddenly from 126 00:06:14,477 --> 00:06:18,170 a light breeze to around 20 knots, 127 00:06:18,205 --> 00:06:21,795 and it just continued on up from there. 128 00:06:21,829 --> 00:06:24,073 NARRATOR: By the time the Ever Given enters the canal, 129 00:06:24,107 --> 00:06:28,353 the wind is gusting at gale force. 130 00:06:28,388 --> 00:06:31,287 That's when it started to become a little more concerning. 131 00:06:31,321 --> 00:06:35,429 NARRATOR: It may seem like a ship as massive as the Ever Given 132 00:06:35,464 --> 00:06:37,914 would be unaffected by wind, 133 00:06:37,949 --> 00:06:40,952 but its tall sides can act like a sail, 134 00:06:40,986 --> 00:06:43,713 pushing it sideways and making it difficult 135 00:06:43,748 --> 00:06:45,439 to maintain its position. 136 00:06:45,474 --> 00:06:48,028 ♪ 137 00:06:48,062 --> 00:06:51,652 When you have a vessel that's equal to a 15-story building 138 00:06:51,687 --> 00:06:53,067 above the waterline, 139 00:06:53,102 --> 00:06:57,451 and as long as nearly four football pitches, 140 00:06:57,486 --> 00:07:01,179 this is a vessel that, if it is blowing and gusting wind, 141 00:07:01,213 --> 00:07:03,802 she is going to move around. 142 00:07:03,837 --> 00:07:07,116 That vessel needed to be dead center in the canal. 143 00:07:07,150 --> 00:07:10,430 There's very little room for margin of error. 144 00:07:12,604 --> 00:07:14,779 ♪ 145 00:07:14,813 --> 00:07:16,712 NARRATOR: Satellite tracking data shows 146 00:07:16,746 --> 00:07:19,611 that the northbound convoy makes steady progress. 147 00:07:19,646 --> 00:07:21,958 But the data also reveals something 148 00:07:21,993 --> 00:07:23,822 is wrong with the Ever Given. 149 00:07:23,857 --> 00:07:25,652 ♪ 150 00:07:25,686 --> 00:07:29,449 At 7:18 a.m., the ship is off the center line, 151 00:07:29,483 --> 00:07:31,485 too close to the west bank. 152 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:34,833 Then, 16 minutes later, 153 00:07:34,868 --> 00:07:38,734 it runs dangerously close to the east bank. 154 00:07:38,768 --> 00:07:43,014 At 7:38, it finally loses control. 155 00:07:43,048 --> 00:07:45,499 On the bridge, the crew shout, 156 00:07:45,534 --> 00:07:47,536 "We might be grounding... stand by." 157 00:07:47,570 --> 00:07:51,091 ♪ 158 00:07:51,125 --> 00:07:54,059 The bow of the 219,000-ton ship... 159 00:07:54,094 --> 00:07:56,199 [loud thudding] 160 00:07:56,234 --> 00:07:59,237 ...crashes into the east bank of the Suez Canal. 161 00:08:02,033 --> 00:08:04,622 With the bow of the Ever Given aground, 162 00:08:04,656 --> 00:08:07,072 and all steering control lost, 163 00:08:07,107 --> 00:08:10,490 the wind and current now pushes the stern 164 00:08:10,524 --> 00:08:12,802 right across the canal, until it wedges 165 00:08:12,837 --> 00:08:15,149 into the other bank. 166 00:08:15,184 --> 00:08:18,256 The Ever Given is firmly lodged, 167 00:08:18,290 --> 00:08:20,914 blocking the entire Suez Canal. 168 00:08:20,948 --> 00:08:23,503 ♪ 169 00:08:23,537 --> 00:08:27,023 What caused the accident is a mystery. 170 00:08:27,058 --> 00:08:29,716 ♪ 171 00:08:29,750 --> 00:08:31,821 On the Maersk Denver, 172 00:08:31,856 --> 00:08:34,928 Ernie and the rest of the crew can't believe their eyes. 173 00:08:34,962 --> 00:08:37,275 ♪ 174 00:08:37,309 --> 00:08:39,449 The only thing that ran through my mind was, "Oh, my God." 175 00:08:40,485 --> 00:08:42,038 CONA: Oh crap, I guess 176 00:08:42,073 --> 00:08:43,557 I'm not going home. [laughs] 177 00:08:43,592 --> 00:08:46,318 NARRATOR: Ernie and Julianne are now 178 00:08:46,353 --> 00:08:48,907 steaming directly towards the Ever Given. 179 00:08:48,942 --> 00:08:53,084 CAPONEGRO: My vessel was weighing 110,000 gross tons. 180 00:08:53,118 --> 00:08:56,915 Stopping that with 35 to 40 knots of wind, 181 00:08:56,950 --> 00:08:59,400 plus a two knot following current, 182 00:08:59,435 --> 00:09:02,265 not exactly an easy feat. 183 00:09:02,300 --> 00:09:04,785 NARRATOR: The captain of the Maersk Denver 184 00:09:04,820 --> 00:09:08,686 reacts fast and throws the engines in reverse. 185 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:11,309 CONA: It was the first time in my career I'd ever seen 186 00:09:11,343 --> 00:09:13,587 a complete full astern bell. [bell chiming] 187 00:09:13,622 --> 00:09:15,416 It's not very often that you're going 188 00:09:15,451 --> 00:09:16,901 as fast as you can backwards. 189 00:09:16,935 --> 00:09:19,351 ♪ 190 00:09:19,386 --> 00:09:22,527 The ship stops just a few hundred feet before 191 00:09:22,562 --> 00:09:24,702 it plows into the Ever Given. 192 00:09:24,736 --> 00:09:27,601 ♪ 193 00:09:27,636 --> 00:09:31,122 But the ship directly behind them, 194 00:09:31,156 --> 00:09:34,574 the Asia Ruby III, is in serious trouble. 195 00:09:34,608 --> 00:09:36,334 ♪ 196 00:09:36,368 --> 00:09:38,785 Something in the back of my head said, "Turn around and look." 197 00:09:38,819 --> 00:09:42,996 And when I turned around, the Asia Ruby III was maybe 198 00:09:43,030 --> 00:09:44,618 a football field away. 199 00:09:44,653 --> 00:09:47,587 NARRATOR: This phone footage shows 200 00:09:47,621 --> 00:09:49,865 the nearly 70,000-ton ship 201 00:09:49,899 --> 00:09:54,352 heading right towards the Maersk Denver. 202 00:09:54,386 --> 00:09:57,735 CAPONEGRO: We thought the ship was going to collide with us. 203 00:09:57,769 --> 00:09:59,529 I ordered everybody off the stern. 204 00:09:59,564 --> 00:10:03,361 NARRATOR: The Denver's captain quickly guns the throttle. 205 00:10:03,395 --> 00:10:06,640 ♪ 206 00:10:06,675 --> 00:10:09,332 Their ship slowly moves forwards, 207 00:10:09,367 --> 00:10:10,886 away from the Ruby. 208 00:10:13,164 --> 00:10:17,133 They narrowly avoid a catastrophic pile up. 209 00:10:17,168 --> 00:10:19,653 CAPONEGRO: If the ship behind us had hit us, 210 00:10:19,688 --> 00:10:22,587 they could have very easily just disabled us, 211 00:10:22,622 --> 00:10:25,763 sending the ship barreling towards the Ever Given. 212 00:10:25,797 --> 00:10:27,627 ♪ 213 00:10:27,661 --> 00:10:31,354 NARRATOR: Once safely anchored, the crew can fully grasp 214 00:10:31,389 --> 00:10:32,873 the scale of the accident. 215 00:10:32,908 --> 00:10:34,323 CONA: I called my family 216 00:10:34,357 --> 00:10:35,911 and my sister's, like, "It's all over the news." 217 00:10:35,945 --> 00:10:37,913 GERMAN NEWS ANCHOR [translated]: More and more ships are waiting. 218 00:10:37,947 --> 00:10:39,397 Some captains are even 219 00:10:39,431 --> 00:10:43,608 considering taking the 6,000 kilometer detour around Africa. 220 00:10:43,643 --> 00:10:44,920 ♪ 221 00:10:44,954 --> 00:10:47,336 NARRATOR: The shockwaves from this accident 222 00:10:47,370 --> 00:10:49,407 are felt across the globe. 223 00:10:50,615 --> 00:10:52,893 About 12% of world trade 224 00:10:52,928 --> 00:10:55,275 passes through the Suez Canal. 225 00:10:55,309 --> 00:10:58,450 Even a short blockage results in delivery delays 226 00:10:58,485 --> 00:11:02,385 of crucial food, fuel, and medical supplies. 227 00:11:02,420 --> 00:11:04,042 ♪ 228 00:11:04,077 --> 00:11:08,737 The 58 ships queuing up unable to pass through the canal 229 00:11:08,771 --> 00:11:10,739 all feel the consequences 230 00:11:10,773 --> 00:11:12,844 of this ballooning maritime disaster. 231 00:11:12,879 --> 00:11:15,295 ♪ 232 00:11:15,329 --> 00:11:19,851 The Ever Given accident made headlines around the world. 233 00:11:19,886 --> 00:11:23,786 But there are many more that don't. 234 00:11:23,821 --> 00:11:28,204 Each year, there are over 2,500 crashes 235 00:11:28,239 --> 00:11:29,896 and shipping incidents. 236 00:11:31,587 --> 00:11:33,451 They damage infrastructure, 237 00:11:33,485 --> 00:11:35,833 and cause delays, 238 00:11:35,867 --> 00:11:38,111 destroying ships, 239 00:11:38,145 --> 00:11:41,286 and putting lives at risk. 240 00:11:41,321 --> 00:11:44,738 MERCOGLIANO: The way world shipping works today is 241 00:11:44,773 --> 00:11:47,672 through a system known as just-in-time logistics. 242 00:11:47,707 --> 00:11:50,675 What happens is most factories, most warehouses, 243 00:11:50,710 --> 00:11:54,299 don't have enough supplies to last more than a few days. 244 00:11:54,334 --> 00:11:56,854 It requires the daily infusion 245 00:11:56,888 --> 00:12:00,133 of new cargo and new supplies coming in. 246 00:12:00,167 --> 00:12:03,619 Most of the time, the public are blissfully unaware 247 00:12:03,653 --> 00:12:05,828 of how their goods get to their shops, 248 00:12:05,863 --> 00:12:09,176 or how components get to factories. 249 00:12:09,211 --> 00:12:13,802 NARRATOR: Today, the transportation of almost all physical goods, 250 00:12:13,836 --> 00:12:17,357 from durable items like furniture, clothes, 251 00:12:17,391 --> 00:12:20,153 and computer chips, to perishable goods 252 00:12:20,187 --> 00:12:23,156 like vegetables, meat, and medicines, 253 00:12:23,190 --> 00:12:26,573 revolves entirely around a single, extraordinary 254 00:12:26,607 --> 00:12:28,886 piece of technology... 255 00:12:30,232 --> 00:12:32,475 The shipping container. 256 00:12:35,306 --> 00:12:37,170 ♪ 257 00:12:37,204 --> 00:12:38,861 MERCOGLIANO: Prior to the introduction of containerization, 258 00:12:38,896 --> 00:12:41,899 cargo was moved in what's referred to as "break bulk." 259 00:12:41,933 --> 00:12:45,178 Basically, you moved individual pieces 260 00:12:45,212 --> 00:12:48,698 of cargo... boxes, cartons, 261 00:12:48,733 --> 00:12:51,805 pallets, bales, one at a time. 262 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:55,395 NARRATOR: This process of moving cargo was labor intensive, 263 00:12:55,429 --> 00:12:58,570 and time consuming. 264 00:12:58,605 --> 00:13:02,195 Teams of dock workers would take several days to load 265 00:13:02,229 --> 00:13:06,613 and unload even a medium-sized ship. 266 00:13:06,647 --> 00:13:08,615 ♪ 267 00:13:08,649 --> 00:13:12,377 In 1956, American truck hauler Malcolm McLean 268 00:13:12,412 --> 00:13:15,656 unveiled a time-saving solution. 269 00:13:15,691 --> 00:13:18,487 ♪ 270 00:13:18,521 --> 00:13:21,731 What is now called the intermodal shipping container, 271 00:13:21,766 --> 00:13:23,837 a strong lockable steel box, 272 00:13:23,872 --> 00:13:27,668 specially toughened to withstand the rigors of life at sea. 273 00:13:27,703 --> 00:13:29,947 ♪ 274 00:13:29,981 --> 00:13:32,121 It evolved through the '60s, 275 00:13:32,156 --> 00:13:34,261 and now containers all across the world 276 00:13:34,296 --> 00:13:36,470 come in standard sizes, 277 00:13:36,505 --> 00:13:39,715 with standardized attachment points. 278 00:13:39,749 --> 00:13:42,373 ♪ 279 00:13:42,407 --> 00:13:44,754 This makes it much faster and cheaper 280 00:13:44,789 --> 00:13:47,136 to shuttle goods from truck and train 281 00:13:47,171 --> 00:13:48,931 to ship, and back again. 282 00:13:48,966 --> 00:13:51,554 ♪ 283 00:13:51,589 --> 00:13:55,386 Today, container ships transport 284 00:13:55,420 --> 00:13:58,699 around two billion tons of goods a year. 285 00:14:00,598 --> 00:14:04,257 Their success changed the way we ship goods forever. 286 00:14:05,775 --> 00:14:07,570 The larger a ship, 287 00:14:07,605 --> 00:14:10,435 the more efficiently it carries containers. 288 00:14:10,470 --> 00:14:13,093 So container ships grew bigger... 289 00:14:13,128 --> 00:14:15,855 and bigger. 290 00:14:15,889 --> 00:14:18,547 Since the 1950s, 291 00:14:18,581 --> 00:14:20,238 they've tripled in length. 292 00:14:22,068 --> 00:14:23,172 The latest ships, 293 00:14:23,207 --> 00:14:24,691 known as Ultra-Large, 294 00:14:24,725 --> 00:14:27,176 are as long as four football fields. 295 00:14:28,833 --> 00:14:30,973 They're pushing at the boundaries 296 00:14:31,008 --> 00:14:34,494 of what's possible in terms of where the ships can go 297 00:14:34,528 --> 00:14:38,084 and how safe is it to transport 298 00:14:38,118 --> 00:14:41,915 things around the world on these megaships. 299 00:14:41,950 --> 00:14:43,744 As ships get bigger, 300 00:14:43,779 --> 00:14:46,195 the margin for error gets smaller. 301 00:14:46,230 --> 00:14:48,577 NARRATOR: The Ever Given is one of 302 00:14:48,611 --> 00:14:51,545 the biggest container ships in the world. 303 00:14:51,580 --> 00:14:54,894 Its fate now hangs in the balance. 304 00:14:54,928 --> 00:14:58,794 ♪ 305 00:14:58,828 --> 00:15:01,728 At the canal control center, 306 00:15:01,762 --> 00:15:03,972 Captain Reda makes sure the other ships stuck 307 00:15:04,006 --> 00:15:06,975 in the convoy are safely anchored, 308 00:15:07,009 --> 00:15:09,287 and then heads straight to the crash site. 309 00:15:09,322 --> 00:15:11,945 [translated]: This was the first time in my life that I saw a ship 310 00:15:11,980 --> 00:15:13,602 of this size stranded. 311 00:15:13,636 --> 00:15:15,949 NARRATOR: He and his colleagues at the Canal Authority 312 00:15:15,984 --> 00:15:18,952 will work to devise a salvage operation 313 00:15:18,987 --> 00:15:21,713 to unblock the waterway fast. 314 00:15:21,748 --> 00:15:25,855 There are dozens of ships stacking up behind, 315 00:15:25,890 --> 00:15:27,754 with vital supplies on board. 316 00:15:27,788 --> 00:15:30,239 The pressures to free the Ever Given 317 00:15:30,274 --> 00:15:32,966 and unblock the canal are immense. 318 00:15:33,001 --> 00:15:35,072 ♪ 319 00:15:35,106 --> 00:15:37,177 But the front of the ship is buried nearly 320 00:15:37,212 --> 00:15:39,248 40 feet in the eastern bank, 321 00:15:39,283 --> 00:15:42,458 and the stern is stuck fast, too. 322 00:15:42,493 --> 00:15:44,357 ♪ 323 00:15:44,391 --> 00:15:47,084 The team dispatch as many tug boats, dredgers, 324 00:15:47,118 --> 00:15:51,157 and excavators as they can lay their hands on. 325 00:15:51,191 --> 00:15:53,642 Several tugs, some pushing, 326 00:15:53,676 --> 00:15:57,266 others pulling, try to free the ship. 327 00:15:57,301 --> 00:15:59,165 But it simply won't budge. 328 00:15:59,199 --> 00:16:01,063 ♪ 329 00:16:01,098 --> 00:16:04,342 No one had had a vessel the size of Ever Given 330 00:16:04,377 --> 00:16:07,690 run aground in the way Ever Given did. 331 00:16:07,725 --> 00:16:11,349 NARRATOR: The ship's bow has plowed into the bank 332 00:16:11,384 --> 00:16:13,455 of the canal with such force, 333 00:16:13,489 --> 00:16:16,492 that it is completely embedded. 334 00:16:16,527 --> 00:16:21,256 The excavators look like toys alongside the vast hull. 335 00:16:23,741 --> 00:16:27,745 36 hours after the crash, excavators and dredging ships 336 00:16:27,779 --> 00:16:32,060 are still racing to scoop and suck sand away from the bow. 337 00:16:32,094 --> 00:16:36,029 The operation is extremely risky. 338 00:16:36,064 --> 00:16:39,343 If the Ever Given moves suddenly, its vast bulk 339 00:16:39,377 --> 00:16:42,173 could crush anyone working nearby. 340 00:16:44,693 --> 00:16:47,972 After three days of non-stop digging and dredging, 341 00:16:48,007 --> 00:16:51,389 the Ever Given remains stuck. 342 00:16:51,424 --> 00:16:55,048 World shipping faces an escalating crisis. 343 00:16:55,083 --> 00:16:57,292 [birds squawking] 344 00:16:57,326 --> 00:17:00,329 CONA: Now you have this backup of 20, 40, 345 00:17:00,364 --> 00:17:03,401 60, 80, and before you knew it, 346 00:17:03,436 --> 00:17:06,715 hundreds of ships sitting there waiting. 347 00:17:06,749 --> 00:17:09,373 NARRATOR: Every day the canal is blocked, 348 00:17:09,407 --> 00:17:11,444 nearly $10 billion worth 349 00:17:11,478 --> 00:17:16,207 of vital medical supplies, food, and other goods are on hold. 350 00:17:16,242 --> 00:17:18,175 ♪ 351 00:17:18,209 --> 00:17:21,385 Even a short delay creates a huge global problem. 352 00:17:23,076 --> 00:17:25,665 When you create a disruption such as the shutdown 353 00:17:25,699 --> 00:17:28,047 of the Suez Canal, that creates a backlog. 354 00:17:28,081 --> 00:17:30,428 All of a sudden that smooth supply 355 00:17:30,463 --> 00:17:33,017 has a big kink right in the middle of it. 356 00:17:33,052 --> 00:17:35,364 The problem is, the kink resonates 357 00:17:35,399 --> 00:17:37,366 down the entire supply chain. 358 00:17:37,401 --> 00:17:40,749 ♪ 359 00:17:40,783 --> 00:17:44,063 Today, the container revolution means that ships 360 00:17:44,097 --> 00:17:47,307 carry up to 90% of all global trade goods. 361 00:17:47,342 --> 00:17:51,518 Every day, nearly a thousand vessels must pass through 362 00:17:51,553 --> 00:17:54,176 a handful of crucial shipping arteries, 363 00:17:54,211 --> 00:17:57,283 including the Panama Canal in Central America, 364 00:17:57,317 --> 00:18:00,113 the Strait of Malacca in Asia, 365 00:18:00,148 --> 00:18:02,322 the Straits of Gibraltar, 366 00:18:02,357 --> 00:18:04,531 the English Channel, 367 00:18:04,566 --> 00:18:06,775 and the Suez Canal. 368 00:18:06,809 --> 00:18:09,226 ♪ 369 00:18:09,260 --> 00:18:13,126 Here, closure can mean delay, or a major diversion, 370 00:18:13,161 --> 00:18:16,164 adding at least ten days 371 00:18:16,198 --> 00:18:19,374 and thousands of miles to a ship's route. 372 00:18:19,408 --> 00:18:22,618 CONA: A lot of ships had decided to go down around 373 00:18:22,653 --> 00:18:24,965 the Horn of Africa, just because 374 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:26,898 they'd be so far back in the line. 375 00:18:26,933 --> 00:18:31,144 NARRATOR: This blockage will affect many thousands of small and large 376 00:18:31,179 --> 00:18:34,975 businesses waiting for goods on the backed-up ships. 377 00:18:35,010 --> 00:18:36,908 ♪ 378 00:18:38,634 --> 00:18:41,948 The Ever Given was meant to unload its cargo 379 00:18:41,982 --> 00:18:44,157 in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, 380 00:18:44,192 --> 00:18:47,264 and Felixstowe in the United Kingdom. 381 00:18:47,298 --> 00:18:50,163 From there, the cargo would be transported to 382 00:18:50,198 --> 00:18:53,856 dozens of discharge ports, and on to destinations 383 00:18:53,891 --> 00:18:57,412 across mainland Europe and Scandinavia. 384 00:18:57,446 --> 00:18:58,689 ♪ 385 00:18:58,723 --> 00:19:01,036 But the ripple effects of the backlog of hundreds 386 00:19:01,070 --> 00:19:04,004 of ships have a truly global impact. 387 00:19:04,039 --> 00:19:06,455 ♪ 388 00:19:06,490 --> 00:19:09,113 The consequences of the blockage are felt from 389 00:19:09,148 --> 00:19:11,978 ports in the U.S. to the docks of Africa. 390 00:19:14,049 --> 00:19:18,053 Four days after the Ever Given crashes, 391 00:19:18,087 --> 00:19:20,780 satellite data shows hundreds of ships backed up, 392 00:19:20,814 --> 00:19:24,093 some in the Gulf of Suez... 393 00:19:24,128 --> 00:19:28,339 and others in the Mediterranean at the north end of the canal. 394 00:19:28,374 --> 00:19:30,686 ♪ 395 00:19:30,721 --> 00:19:32,309 CONA: The cluster of ships sitting there 396 00:19:32,343 --> 00:19:34,656 was crazy to watch. 397 00:19:34,690 --> 00:19:37,348 Hundreds of ships just anchored up around you. 398 00:19:37,383 --> 00:19:39,695 You couldn't look in front of you and not see a ship. 399 00:19:39,730 --> 00:19:42,284 NARRATOR: With the world watching every move, 400 00:19:42,319 --> 00:19:45,874 the Canal Authority is under huge pressure 401 00:19:45,908 --> 00:19:48,532 to free the Ever Given, fast. 402 00:19:51,224 --> 00:19:53,088 They bring in an international team of 403 00:19:53,122 --> 00:19:55,539 salvage experts with more equipment. 404 00:19:55,573 --> 00:19:58,127 Together, they devise a new strategy. 405 00:19:59,888 --> 00:20:01,545 Small tugs will line up 406 00:20:01,579 --> 00:20:04,133 to push near the stern of the Ever Given. 407 00:20:04,168 --> 00:20:07,723 Two larger tugs will use tow lines 408 00:20:07,758 --> 00:20:10,312 to pull the stern away from the west bank. 409 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:14,696 Other large tugs 410 00:20:14,730 --> 00:20:17,837 will try to pull the bow away from the east bank. 411 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:23,152 But if they're not careful, there's a real risk 412 00:20:23,187 --> 00:20:26,397 that the ship could jerk free too quickly 413 00:20:26,432 --> 00:20:30,263 and smash into the other side of the canal. 414 00:20:30,298 --> 00:20:32,886 [ship rumbling] 415 00:20:32,921 --> 00:20:34,578 [loud thud] 416 00:20:38,340 --> 00:20:42,413 This operation takes advantage of an unusually high tide 417 00:20:42,448 --> 00:20:44,726 produced when the moon is full, 418 00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:47,246 and at its closest to the earth. 419 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:50,801 They begin just after midnight on the 29th of March. 420 00:20:50,835 --> 00:20:55,254 This is when the spring tide flows south. 421 00:20:55,288 --> 00:20:58,360 It should help push the Ever Given's stern off the bank. 422 00:20:58,395 --> 00:21:02,847 ♪ 423 00:21:02,882 --> 00:21:06,782 At first, it doesn't seem like their plan is working. 424 00:21:09,578 --> 00:21:13,651 Everything hinges on them freeing the ship tonight. 425 00:21:13,686 --> 00:21:16,240 [ship horn blares] 426 00:21:16,275 --> 00:21:18,898 [different horn blaring] 427 00:21:18,932 --> 00:21:20,589 ♪ 428 00:21:20,624 --> 00:21:22,557 In the early hours of the morning, 429 00:21:22,591 --> 00:21:26,906 the stern of the ship slowly inches away from the bank. 430 00:21:26,940 --> 00:21:29,357 [horn blaring] 431 00:21:29,391 --> 00:21:33,637 ♪ 432 00:21:36,364 --> 00:21:39,332 That afternoon, at the next high tide, 433 00:21:39,367 --> 00:21:43,854 the tugs manage to slowly pull the bow clear, too. 434 00:21:43,888 --> 00:21:48,272 ♪ 435 00:21:48,307 --> 00:21:52,863 After six days of digging, pushing, and pulling, 436 00:21:52,897 --> 00:21:55,521 the ship is free at last. 437 00:21:56,729 --> 00:21:59,007 [Reda speaking] 438 00:21:59,041 --> 00:22:00,940 [translated]: The crew and I were so 439 00:22:00,974 --> 00:22:03,943 full of joy when the ship was floated 440 00:22:03,977 --> 00:22:06,290 that we didn't notice all the tugs 441 00:22:06,325 --> 00:22:09,017 surrounding us in celebration. 442 00:22:09,051 --> 00:22:11,537 [people whistling] 443 00:22:11,571 --> 00:22:15,126 Everybody just... huge sigh of relief. 444 00:22:15,161 --> 00:22:19,234 CONA: It almost felt like you could breathe again. 445 00:22:19,268 --> 00:22:21,719 Like, okay, we're going home. 446 00:22:21,754 --> 00:22:25,171 RABIE [translated]: In the world of salvage operations, 447 00:22:25,205 --> 00:22:27,898 it is a miracle for it to have succeeded 448 00:22:27,932 --> 00:22:30,797 in such a short time, and for such a big ship. 449 00:22:30,832 --> 00:22:33,248 ♪ 450 00:22:33,282 --> 00:22:36,527 NARRATOR: The salvage operation is a triumph of cooperation 451 00:22:36,562 --> 00:22:39,703 and ingenious engineering. 452 00:22:39,737 --> 00:22:43,154 But the crash has disrupted billions of dollars 453 00:22:43,189 --> 00:22:46,399 of world trade in the midst of a global pandemic, 454 00:22:46,434 --> 00:22:49,402 when supply lines are already stretched. 455 00:22:49,437 --> 00:22:52,336 [ship horn blares] 456 00:22:52,371 --> 00:22:56,547 Investigators urgently need to find out what went wrong. 457 00:22:56,582 --> 00:22:59,205 ♪ 458 00:22:59,239 --> 00:23:01,759 But uncovering why the Ever Given crashed 459 00:23:01,794 --> 00:23:04,383 won't be straightforward. 460 00:23:04,417 --> 00:23:07,351 MERCOGLIANO: Ever Given herself was operated 461 00:23:07,386 --> 00:23:10,872 for Evergreen Marine, a company out of Taiwan. 462 00:23:10,906 --> 00:23:13,702 The owner of the vessel was in Japan. 463 00:23:13,737 --> 00:23:18,327 The insurer for the cargo was in the United Kingdom. 464 00:23:18,362 --> 00:23:22,401 The crew was Indian, the registry was Panamanian, 465 00:23:22,435 --> 00:23:25,990 and investigating an accident like this, 466 00:23:26,025 --> 00:23:30,685 you would see nearly all those elements involved 467 00:23:30,719 --> 00:23:34,792 conducting simultaneous, in some cases, investigations, 468 00:23:34,827 --> 00:23:38,486 along with the Egyptian Suez Canal Authority. 469 00:23:38,520 --> 00:23:42,455 NARRATOR: The key question investigators have to answer 470 00:23:42,490 --> 00:23:45,631 is why the ship lost control, 471 00:23:45,665 --> 00:23:48,875 veering so wildly from one bank to the other. 472 00:23:48,910 --> 00:23:52,603 Early reports mention one thing... 473 00:23:52,638 --> 00:23:54,881 the weather. 474 00:23:54,916 --> 00:23:56,642 CONA: It was exceptionally windy, 475 00:23:56,676 --> 00:23:59,714 and usually in windy situations, 476 00:23:59,748 --> 00:24:02,993 they evaluate the bigger ships going in and not going in. 477 00:24:03,027 --> 00:24:06,479 NARRATOR: Most ultra-large cargo ships 478 00:24:06,514 --> 00:24:10,449 have powerful engines and are surprisingly maneuverable, 479 00:24:10,483 --> 00:24:14,487 but strong winds can still pose problems. 480 00:24:14,522 --> 00:24:17,145 To understand the danger wind presents, 481 00:24:17,179 --> 00:24:19,803 it's helpful to look at other incidents 482 00:24:19,837 --> 00:24:23,185 where ships ran into unexpected difficulties at sea. 483 00:24:23,220 --> 00:24:26,154 ♪ 484 00:24:29,571 --> 00:24:32,816 On January 26, 2016, 485 00:24:32,850 --> 00:24:35,784 the Modern Express cargo ship, 486 00:24:35,819 --> 00:24:40,893 carrying a 3,600-ton load of heavy machinery and logs, 487 00:24:40,927 --> 00:24:43,551 was approaching the Bay of Biscay, 488 00:24:43,585 --> 00:24:46,588 on route to Le Havre, France. 489 00:24:46,623 --> 00:24:50,419 In Finisterre, on the north coast of Spain, 490 00:24:50,454 --> 00:24:53,181 coast guard Manuel Capeáns AÁlvarez 491 00:24:53,215 --> 00:24:55,666 was due to start his shift. 492 00:24:55,701 --> 00:24:58,911 [translated]: The wind and rain were battering heavily. 493 00:24:58,945 --> 00:25:02,155 On the days of adverse weather conditions, 494 00:25:02,190 --> 00:25:06,470 you always fear that something serious could happen. 495 00:25:06,505 --> 00:25:10,267 NARRATOR: As the Modern Express crossed the Bay of Biscay, 496 00:25:10,301 --> 00:25:14,927 strong winds forced the ship off course. 497 00:25:14,961 --> 00:25:19,276 The gale caught the high side of the ship like a sail. 498 00:25:19,310 --> 00:25:23,280 The vessel developed a dangerous 40-degree list. 499 00:25:23,314 --> 00:25:26,214 At 1:16 p.m., 500 00:25:26,248 --> 00:25:28,561 the captain sent a distress call. 501 00:25:28,596 --> 00:25:31,668 [AÁlvarez speaking Spanish] 502 00:25:31,702 --> 00:25:35,085 [translated]: The crew requested to abandon the ship. 503 00:25:35,119 --> 00:25:39,296 Two rescue helicopters and a rescue plane were deployed. 504 00:25:39,330 --> 00:25:42,023 NARRATOR: The 22 crew members were 505 00:25:42,057 --> 00:25:44,404 clinging to the steeply sloping deck, 506 00:25:44,439 --> 00:25:47,200 battered by more than 16-foot-high waves. 507 00:25:47,235 --> 00:25:51,998 They feared the ship could capsize at any moment. 508 00:25:52,033 --> 00:25:55,933 [waves roaring] 509 00:25:55,968 --> 00:25:58,142 The wildly pitching deck 510 00:25:58,177 --> 00:26:01,214 made the helicopter rescue incredibly dangerous. 511 00:26:02,630 --> 00:26:05,771 RESCUER [speaking Spanish]: 512 00:26:10,016 --> 00:26:12,778 RESCUERS [speaking Spanish]: 513 00:26:27,551 --> 00:26:29,829 NARRATOR: It took around four hours 514 00:26:29,864 --> 00:26:33,868 to haul all crew members to safety one by one. 515 00:26:33,902 --> 00:26:36,560 ♪ 516 00:26:36,595 --> 00:26:39,218 No one knows exactly what caused the accident. 517 00:26:39,252 --> 00:26:42,324 But the high sides of the ship and strong winds 518 00:26:42,359 --> 00:26:44,913 were almost certainly key factors. 519 00:26:44,948 --> 00:26:47,295 CAPONEGRO: Weather plays with ships all the time. 520 00:26:47,329 --> 00:26:50,125 Doesn't matter whether you're going through the Suez Canal, 521 00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:52,921 or you're crossing the Atlantic, it's going to play with it. 522 00:26:52,956 --> 00:26:56,925 NARRATOR: So how did the strong winds affect the Ever Given? 523 00:27:01,309 --> 00:27:04,208 Francesco Morelli is a marine surveyor 524 00:27:04,243 --> 00:27:06,763 who has conducted dozens of investigations 525 00:27:06,797 --> 00:27:11,077 into major shipping accidents, including in the Suez Canal. 526 00:27:11,112 --> 00:27:15,081 He's analyzed the data from the Ever Given crash. 527 00:27:15,116 --> 00:27:16,842 [Morelli speaking Italian] 528 00:27:16,876 --> 00:27:19,223 MORELLI [translated]: The first time I heard about the Ever Given, 529 00:27:19,258 --> 00:27:21,536 what I read wasn't convincing. 530 00:27:21,570 --> 00:27:23,607 So I decided to use the same technology that 531 00:27:23,642 --> 00:27:28,267 we usually use to understand what happened exactly. 532 00:27:28,301 --> 00:27:32,029 NARRATOR: All big ships like the Ever Given are equipped with 533 00:27:32,064 --> 00:27:36,965 an Automatic Identification System, or A.I.S. 534 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:39,485 This uses satellite data and the ship's radio 535 00:27:39,519 --> 00:27:42,591 to broadcast the vessel's precise location, 536 00:27:42,626 --> 00:27:46,112 heading, and speed every few seconds. 537 00:27:46,147 --> 00:27:49,875 MORELLI [translated]: The availability of this data has made it possible 538 00:27:49,909 --> 00:27:52,947 to reconstruct this scenario in great detail. 539 00:27:52,981 --> 00:27:55,915 ♪ 540 00:27:57,745 --> 00:28:00,609 NARRATOR: Weather models of the day of the Suez incident 541 00:28:00,644 --> 00:28:03,233 show that a 30 to 40 knot wind 542 00:28:03,267 --> 00:28:06,029 blasted the Ever Given as it entered the canal. 543 00:28:09,342 --> 00:28:10,758 [speaking Italian] 544 00:28:10,792 --> 00:28:12,311 [translated]: The ship was hit by the wind 545 00:28:12,345 --> 00:28:15,417 on its right side. 546 00:28:15,452 --> 00:28:19,180 This caused the ship to be pushed towards the left bank 547 00:28:19,214 --> 00:28:24,530 and away from the center line of the channel. 548 00:28:24,564 --> 00:28:27,257 NARRATOR: For Francesco, even though the ship 549 00:28:27,291 --> 00:28:29,535 didn't hit the bank this time, 550 00:28:29,569 --> 00:28:31,813 it never really recovered the center line. 551 00:28:31,848 --> 00:28:34,091 ♪ 552 00:28:34,126 --> 00:28:36,266 But he's convinced that wind 553 00:28:36,300 --> 00:28:40,063 isn't the only factor that caused the crash. 554 00:28:40,097 --> 00:28:43,238 He discovers that the ship ahead of the Ever Given, 555 00:28:43,273 --> 00:28:47,967 the Cosco Galaxy, which was almost exactly the same size, 556 00:28:48,002 --> 00:28:50,763 forged a smooth passage through the waterway, 557 00:28:50,798 --> 00:28:53,766 despite having to battle the same windy conditions. 558 00:28:53,801 --> 00:28:56,838 ♪ 559 00:28:56,873 --> 00:28:59,772 Why did one ship sail through the canal safely, 560 00:28:59,807 --> 00:29:02,154 and the other crash? 561 00:29:02,188 --> 00:29:04,984 ♪ 562 00:29:05,019 --> 00:29:08,125 Francesco overlays the tracking data 563 00:29:08,160 --> 00:29:11,301 of the Ever Given and the Cosco Galaxy. 564 00:29:11,335 --> 00:29:13,372 The resulting image 565 00:29:13,406 --> 00:29:17,479 lays bare the different paths of the two ships. 566 00:29:17,514 --> 00:29:19,516 As they entered the canal, 567 00:29:19,550 --> 00:29:22,519 the wind pushed both ships towards the left bank. 568 00:29:22,553 --> 00:29:26,799 The Ever Given veered particularly close. 569 00:29:26,834 --> 00:29:29,871 Both ships then slightly increased their speed 570 00:29:29,906 --> 00:29:31,286 as they approached a bend. 571 00:29:32,701 --> 00:29:35,152 This would have made them more maneuverable... 572 00:29:35,187 --> 00:29:37,810 the more water that rushes past a ship's rudder, 573 00:29:37,845 --> 00:29:39,294 the faster it turns. 574 00:29:40,882 --> 00:29:43,851 But halfway through the bend, the Galaxy slowed back down, 575 00:29:43,885 --> 00:29:47,751 while the Ever Given sped up. 576 00:29:47,786 --> 00:29:49,615 [Morelli speaking Italian] 577 00:29:49,649 --> 00:29:51,272 MORELLI [translated]: The difference between the two 578 00:29:51,306 --> 00:29:53,205 is that they went through the curve of the canal 579 00:29:53,239 --> 00:29:56,311 at different speeds. 580 00:29:56,346 --> 00:30:00,868 The Cosco Galaxy kept a moderate and constant speed. 581 00:30:00,902 --> 00:30:05,907 The Ever Given increased its speed up to nearly 14 knots. 582 00:30:05,942 --> 00:30:08,427 NARRATOR: In strong winds, 583 00:30:08,461 --> 00:30:10,463 big ships are often easier to control 584 00:30:10,498 --> 00:30:13,673 the faster they go. 585 00:30:13,708 --> 00:30:16,607 But within the confines of the canal, 586 00:30:16,642 --> 00:30:20,439 high speeds can cause problems. 587 00:30:20,473 --> 00:30:23,856 [Morelli speaking Italian] 588 00:30:23,891 --> 00:30:27,618 MORELLI [translated]: When a ship like the Ever Given nears the side of the canal, 589 00:30:27,653 --> 00:30:31,933 hydrodynamic effects suck the ship towards the nearest bank. 590 00:30:34,694 --> 00:30:37,249 This is called "bank effect," 591 00:30:37,283 --> 00:30:41,322 and the bigger the speed, the bigger the bank effect. 592 00:30:41,356 --> 00:30:44,049 [water rushing] 593 00:30:45,982 --> 00:30:48,743 NARRATOR: As the Ever Given moved through the canal, 594 00:30:48,777 --> 00:30:50,572 its vast bulk displaced 595 00:30:50,607 --> 00:30:52,885 hundreds of thousands of tons of water. 596 00:30:52,920 --> 00:30:55,681 This rushed past the hull, 597 00:30:55,715 --> 00:30:58,546 and formed a bow wave at the front. 598 00:30:58,580 --> 00:31:00,997 Francesco believes that as the ship 599 00:31:01,031 --> 00:31:03,171 got close to the bank, 600 00:31:03,206 --> 00:31:05,622 the bow wave formed a cushion 601 00:31:05,656 --> 00:31:07,624 that pushed the bow away. 602 00:31:07,658 --> 00:31:09,833 But further back, as the gap between 603 00:31:09,868 --> 00:31:13,664 ship and bank narrowed, the water flowed faster. 604 00:31:13,699 --> 00:31:17,013 When a fluid speeds up, pressure in the fluid drops, 605 00:31:17,047 --> 00:31:19,636 which in this case created suction 606 00:31:19,670 --> 00:31:22,397 that pulled the stern towards the bank. 607 00:31:27,264 --> 00:31:29,922 Just a small increase in speed leads to 608 00:31:29,957 --> 00:31:33,201 a big increase in this so-called bank effect. 609 00:31:34,996 --> 00:31:39,656 Francesco's analysis suggests that the Ever Given's high speed 610 00:31:39,690 --> 00:31:41,934 caused it to lurch from experiencing 611 00:31:41,969 --> 00:31:44,385 bank effect on one side of the canal, 612 00:31:44,419 --> 00:31:48,492 to bank effect on the other, and eventually to crash. 613 00:31:48,527 --> 00:31:50,598 [loud thudding] 614 00:31:50,632 --> 00:31:52,703 [Morelli speaking Italian] 615 00:31:52,738 --> 00:31:55,223 [translated]: The behavior of the ship is similar to 616 00:31:55,258 --> 00:32:00,849 a ball bouncing back and forth from one bank to the other. 617 00:32:00,884 --> 00:32:04,957 The speed of the ship increases, and the bank effect 618 00:32:04,992 --> 00:32:06,717 becomes stronger. 619 00:32:06,752 --> 00:32:09,237 This is what causes the ship to crash. 620 00:32:10,963 --> 00:32:13,793 NARRATOR: So why did the Ever Given speed up? 621 00:32:18,212 --> 00:32:21,594 Faced with high winds, could the captain 622 00:32:21,629 --> 00:32:24,390 have simply made the wrong call, 623 00:32:24,425 --> 00:32:27,669 gone too fast and lost control of his vessel? 624 00:32:27,704 --> 00:32:30,672 How do crucial decisions like this 625 00:32:30,707 --> 00:32:33,813 get made on the bridge of a ship? 626 00:32:33,848 --> 00:32:37,541 Clues lie in another tragic maritime disaster. 627 00:32:38,853 --> 00:32:41,028 ♪ 628 00:32:41,062 --> 00:32:43,478 On September 30, 2015, 629 00:32:43,513 --> 00:32:45,964 the cargo ship El Faro, 630 00:32:45,998 --> 00:32:48,759 carrying 391 containers, 631 00:32:48,794 --> 00:32:52,522 over 100 cars, and 33 crew members 632 00:32:52,556 --> 00:32:55,249 was sailing 80 miles from Florida 633 00:32:55,283 --> 00:32:59,218 en route to Puerto Rico. 634 00:32:59,253 --> 00:33:00,875 The ship was on a regular route between 635 00:33:00,909 --> 00:33:03,774 Jacksonville, Florida, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, 636 00:33:03,809 --> 00:33:06,018 and it made that trip back and forth 637 00:33:06,053 --> 00:33:08,469 week after week after week. 638 00:33:08,503 --> 00:33:11,782 NARRATOR: Rod Sullivan is a maritime expert 639 00:33:11,817 --> 00:33:13,267 and was the lawyer who represented one 640 00:33:13,301 --> 00:33:15,648 of the families of the crew on board. 641 00:33:15,683 --> 00:33:17,581 In Jacksonville when they left, 642 00:33:17,616 --> 00:33:20,929 and as they went down the east coast of the United States, 643 00:33:20,964 --> 00:33:22,724 the weather was beautiful. 644 00:33:22,759 --> 00:33:24,761 There was a light hurricane, 645 00:33:24,795 --> 00:33:27,626 Joaquin, force one or force two, 646 00:33:27,660 --> 00:33:29,697 out somewhere in the Caribbean. 647 00:33:29,731 --> 00:33:31,837 But at the very time they left, they had no idea 648 00:33:31,871 --> 00:33:34,391 that they were going to be sailing directly into it. 649 00:33:36,221 --> 00:33:38,706 NARRATOR: Hurricane Joaquin strengthened, 650 00:33:38,740 --> 00:33:40,846 turning into a category four storm 651 00:33:40,880 --> 00:33:44,194 with 135 mile-per-hour winds 652 00:33:44,229 --> 00:33:46,990 and mountainous seas. 653 00:33:47,025 --> 00:33:50,166 The winds are getting stronger, the waves are getting stronger, 654 00:33:50,200 --> 00:33:53,031 and the ship is becoming less and less controllable. 655 00:33:53,065 --> 00:33:56,586 NARRATOR: The captain of the El Faro, Michael Davidson, 656 00:33:56,620 --> 00:33:59,382 could have changed course, and taken a longer route 657 00:33:59,416 --> 00:34:02,799 that avoided the worst of the weather. 658 00:34:05,146 --> 00:34:07,390 But in the face of the gathering storm, 659 00:34:07,424 --> 00:34:09,737 the El Faro did the unthinkable. 660 00:34:11,428 --> 00:34:13,982 It sailed straight into the heart of the hurricane. 661 00:34:15,812 --> 00:34:17,193 SULLIVAN: You're looking at 662 00:34:17,227 --> 00:34:19,091 120 mile per hour winds, 663 00:34:19,126 --> 00:34:22,025 which are, are extreme winds. 664 00:34:22,060 --> 00:34:24,614 And you're also looking at high seas, 665 00:34:24,648 --> 00:34:27,306 which are going to batter the ship on one side or the other. 666 00:34:27,341 --> 00:34:31,448 It's going to make it very difficult to control the ship. 667 00:34:31,483 --> 00:34:34,279 [waves crashing] 668 00:34:34,313 --> 00:34:37,075 NARRATOR: At 7:12 a.m., the captain sent 669 00:34:37,109 --> 00:34:39,491 an emergency message. 670 00:34:39,525 --> 00:34:43,081 Then, silence. 671 00:34:43,115 --> 00:34:45,635 SULLIVAN: They sent out fixed wing aircraft looking for 672 00:34:45,669 --> 00:34:48,431 the location of the sinking. 673 00:34:48,465 --> 00:34:51,537 They sent out vessels and helicopters to attempt 674 00:34:51,572 --> 00:34:53,643 to see if there were any people, any survivors, 675 00:34:53,677 --> 00:34:55,955 and no survivors were found. 676 00:34:55,990 --> 00:34:58,510 ♪ 677 00:34:58,544 --> 00:35:01,409 NARRATOR: An extensive search of the seabed 678 00:35:01,444 --> 00:35:04,309 uncovered the wreckage of the ship. 679 00:35:04,343 --> 00:35:07,484 ♪ 680 00:35:15,665 --> 00:35:20,083 NARRATOR: And crucially, its voyage data recorder, 681 00:35:20,118 --> 00:35:23,155 the equivalent of a plane's black box. 682 00:35:23,190 --> 00:35:25,951 It held records of the ship's exact location, 683 00:35:25,985 --> 00:35:29,023 and audio recordings of all conversations 684 00:35:29,057 --> 00:35:33,027 on the bridge in the hours leading up to the disaster. 685 00:35:37,204 --> 00:35:40,103 SULLIVAN: The last moments of this ship are really 686 00:35:40,138 --> 00:35:43,037 heart-rending, because all the crew members have gotten 687 00:35:43,071 --> 00:35:45,419 onto the railing and are trying to get off the ship. 688 00:35:45,453 --> 00:35:47,386 But there are two people left in the wheelhouse. 689 00:35:47,421 --> 00:35:50,355 There's Captain Davidson, and there's one seaman. 690 00:35:50,389 --> 00:35:52,460 ♪ 691 00:35:52,495 --> 00:35:56,292 And as the ship lists farther and farther to one side, 692 00:35:56,326 --> 00:35:58,225 the seaman doesn't have the strength 693 00:35:58,259 --> 00:36:01,262 to get to the high side of the ship. 694 00:36:01,297 --> 00:36:03,920 To Captain Davidson's credit, he stayed there 695 00:36:03,954 --> 00:36:06,888 to the very last minute to try to save the life 696 00:36:06,923 --> 00:36:08,683 of this one seaman. 697 00:36:08,718 --> 00:36:12,860 NARRATOR: The audio recordings revealed their final words. 698 00:36:12,894 --> 00:36:14,689 SULLIVAN: I don't have a ladder up here. 699 00:36:14,724 --> 00:36:16,588 I can't extend it down to you. 700 00:36:16,622 --> 00:36:18,935 I don't have a rope to pull you up. 701 00:36:18,969 --> 00:36:21,420 You are going to have to pull yourself up to the side 702 00:36:21,455 --> 00:36:23,802 of the ship in order to get out of here. 703 00:36:23,836 --> 00:36:26,322 And the seaman is saying, "Captain, I can't, I can't. 704 00:36:26,356 --> 00:36:27,771 Don't leave me." 705 00:36:27,806 --> 00:36:29,325 And Captain Davidson is saying, 706 00:36:29,359 --> 00:36:31,603 "I'm not gonna leave you." 707 00:36:31,637 --> 00:36:34,537 And he doesn't. 708 00:36:34,571 --> 00:36:37,195 NARRATOR: The sinking of the El Faro 709 00:36:37,229 --> 00:36:39,542 claimed all 33 sailors' lives. 710 00:36:39,576 --> 00:36:42,786 SULLIVAN: Every family of a seaman knows that 711 00:36:42,821 --> 00:36:45,513 they're involved in a dangerous occupation. 712 00:36:45,548 --> 00:36:48,344 Nobody expects that they're going to go out to sea 713 00:36:48,378 --> 00:36:50,691 and not come back. 714 00:36:50,725 --> 00:36:52,624 NARRATOR: So why did Captain Davidson sail 715 00:36:52,658 --> 00:36:56,214 the El Faro straight into hurricane Joaquin? 716 00:36:56,248 --> 00:36:58,561 Audio recordings reveal confusion about 717 00:36:58,595 --> 00:37:00,977 the hurricane's severity and location. 718 00:37:01,011 --> 00:37:03,773 Only minor course adjustments were made. 719 00:37:03,807 --> 00:37:06,120 According to the NTSB report, 720 00:37:06,154 --> 00:37:09,088 the captain knew he was sailing into a severe storm 721 00:37:09,123 --> 00:37:12,437 and his crew was uncomfortable with his decision. 722 00:37:12,471 --> 00:37:14,059 SULLIVAN: The captain and the chief mate 723 00:37:14,093 --> 00:37:16,372 had a discussion about alternate routes very early 724 00:37:16,406 --> 00:37:19,444 in the voyage, and the captain considered that 725 00:37:19,478 --> 00:37:21,653 and rejected the alternative routes. 726 00:37:21,687 --> 00:37:23,793 Later, at 2:00 in the morning, 727 00:37:23,827 --> 00:37:27,935 the second mate, Danielle, actually rang up the captain 728 00:37:27,969 --> 00:37:31,283 who was in his cabin asleep and suggested to him 729 00:37:31,318 --> 00:37:33,112 that they needed to do something. 730 00:37:33,147 --> 00:37:36,737 And the captain said it didn't feel like it was that bad 731 00:37:36,771 --> 00:37:38,117 and he went back to sleep. 732 00:37:38,152 --> 00:37:40,396 [waves crashing] 733 00:37:42,743 --> 00:37:45,435 The captain's attitude was one of bravado. 734 00:37:45,470 --> 00:37:48,058 He said, "Look, I travel in the Gulf of Alaska. 735 00:37:48,093 --> 00:37:51,372 "I see weather and waves like this all the time. 736 00:37:51,407 --> 00:37:53,581 "And, therefore, I'm not going to be concerned, 737 00:37:53,616 --> 00:37:55,583 and you shouldn't be either." 738 00:37:55,618 --> 00:37:58,793 NARRATOR: The crew may choose to raise concerns, 739 00:37:58,828 --> 00:38:02,245 but the captain's decision is always final. 740 00:38:05,075 --> 00:38:07,630 Could this be what happened on the Ever Given? 741 00:38:07,664 --> 00:38:10,633 Did the captain simply make a bad decision 742 00:38:10,667 --> 00:38:13,774 that led to the accident? 743 00:38:16,363 --> 00:38:19,814 After freeing the Ever Given, the Canal Authority tows 744 00:38:19,849 --> 00:38:24,232 the ship to the appropriately named Great Bitter Lake. 745 00:38:24,267 --> 00:38:27,408 Here, in a further twist, 746 00:38:27,443 --> 00:38:31,032 the Egyptian authorities place the ship under arrest. 747 00:38:31,067 --> 00:38:34,691 It can go no further until the Canal Authority 748 00:38:34,726 --> 00:38:38,281 and the ship owners conclude negotiations 749 00:38:38,316 --> 00:38:41,284 to determine who will pay for the salvage operation. 750 00:38:41,319 --> 00:38:45,323 The Egyptians leveled an initial claim against Ever Given 751 00:38:45,357 --> 00:38:49,430 of 916 million U.S. dollars. 752 00:38:49,465 --> 00:38:51,743 [speaking Arabic] 753 00:38:51,777 --> 00:38:54,504 [translated]: We were negotiating with the owners 754 00:38:54,539 --> 00:38:57,887 to get back the losses we incurred at least. 755 00:38:57,921 --> 00:38:59,923 [speaking Arabic] 756 00:39:01,718 --> 00:39:04,790 NARRATOR: It is terrible news for those with cargo on board. 757 00:39:08,138 --> 00:39:10,451 The case ends up in the Egyptian courts. 758 00:39:10,486 --> 00:39:12,902 ♪ 759 00:39:12,936 --> 00:39:15,076 Here, the ship owners produce transcripts 760 00:39:15,111 --> 00:39:17,458 of the audio recordings from the ship's bridge, 761 00:39:17,493 --> 00:39:21,497 as well as a detailed timeline and accident report, 762 00:39:21,531 --> 00:39:25,224 drawn up by a respected maritime expert. 763 00:39:27,192 --> 00:39:29,470 They say that in the moments leading up to the crash, 764 00:39:29,505 --> 00:39:31,576 the maritime pilots, 765 00:39:31,610 --> 00:39:34,820 who were on board to guide the Ever Given through the canal, 766 00:39:34,855 --> 00:39:36,753 were navigating the vessel. 767 00:39:36,788 --> 00:39:38,203 ♪ 768 00:39:40,205 --> 00:39:42,172 ♪ 769 00:39:42,207 --> 00:39:45,348 To understand events on the Ever Given's bridge, 770 00:39:45,383 --> 00:39:47,212 first we need to understand 771 00:39:47,246 --> 00:39:50,836 what happens when a maritime pilot boards a ship. 772 00:39:50,871 --> 00:39:53,839 [ship horn blaring] 773 00:39:53,874 --> 00:39:57,118 Greg Tylawsky was a San Francisco Bar pilot 774 00:39:57,153 --> 00:39:59,293 for ten years and regularly 775 00:39:59,327 --> 00:40:01,813 piloted ships the size of the Ever Given. 776 00:40:01,847 --> 00:40:03,746 ♪ 777 00:40:03,780 --> 00:40:06,714 In a normal situation, I board the ship, 778 00:40:06,749 --> 00:40:09,683 I have an exchange with a master on what the plan 779 00:40:09,717 --> 00:40:12,064 for my routing will be. 780 00:40:12,099 --> 00:40:13,790 Once he's comfortable with the plan, 781 00:40:13,825 --> 00:40:15,240 or she's comfortable with the plan, 782 00:40:15,274 --> 00:40:16,724 and I'm comfortable with the situation 783 00:40:16,759 --> 00:40:19,037 on board the vessel, the pilot assumes 784 00:40:19,071 --> 00:40:21,522 navigational control of the vessel. 785 00:40:21,557 --> 00:40:24,422 [indistinct chatter] 786 00:40:24,456 --> 00:40:27,045 They're going to control the heading, 787 00:40:27,079 --> 00:40:28,874 the speed, the direction, 788 00:40:28,909 --> 00:40:30,945 and the communication protocols. 789 00:40:30,980 --> 00:40:34,397 NARRATOR: Pilots don't steer the ship themselves; 790 00:40:34,432 --> 00:40:38,125 they issue commands to the other officers on the bridge. 791 00:40:38,159 --> 00:40:41,300 To the helmsman, who controls the direction 792 00:40:41,335 --> 00:40:43,475 of the ship with the rudder. 793 00:40:43,510 --> 00:40:47,341 Starboard Ten. Starboard Ten. 794 00:40:47,375 --> 00:40:49,688 NARRATOR: And the bridge watch officer, 795 00:40:49,723 --> 00:40:52,864 who controls the speed of the ship with the throttle. 796 00:40:52,898 --> 00:40:56,177 [indistinct chatter] 797 00:40:56,212 --> 00:40:58,939 The standard for pilots, really, around the world, 798 00:40:58,973 --> 00:41:03,184 is that the commands from pilots are direct 799 00:41:03,219 --> 00:41:06,533 to the person who has their hands on the steering wheel, 800 00:41:06,567 --> 00:41:09,225 and they're direct to the person that's standing 801 00:41:09,259 --> 00:41:11,434 next to the throttle for the main engine. 802 00:41:11,469 --> 00:41:16,025 NARRATOR: Pilots have performed this task for hundreds of years, 803 00:41:16,059 --> 00:41:17,958 as they have detailed local knowledge 804 00:41:17,992 --> 00:41:20,236 of ports and narrow crossings 805 00:41:20,270 --> 00:41:22,997 that the captain, the master of the ship, does not. 806 00:41:25,206 --> 00:41:29,797 But even though the pilot takes charge of navigating the ship, 807 00:41:29,832 --> 00:41:32,593 the captain is still responsible for the ship's safety. 808 00:41:32,628 --> 00:41:34,595 [speaking indistinctly] 809 00:41:34,630 --> 00:41:36,770 TYLAWSKI: It's the master's duty 810 00:41:36,804 --> 00:41:40,912 to intervene at a point where it is obvious 811 00:41:40,946 --> 00:41:43,949 that the pilot is in some way incapacitated, 812 00:41:43,984 --> 00:41:46,780 or is in some way dangerous 813 00:41:46,814 --> 00:41:49,610 to himself or to the vessel. 814 00:41:49,645 --> 00:41:52,613 Starboard 15. 815 00:41:52,648 --> 00:41:56,065 PEKCAN: The relationship between a pilot 816 00:41:56,099 --> 00:41:59,517 and the captain and his team on a ship can be very tricky. 817 00:41:59,551 --> 00:42:02,485 The bridge team will not necessarily 818 00:42:02,520 --> 00:42:05,074 have ever met this person before, 819 00:42:05,108 --> 00:42:09,147 yet they have to give control of their vessel to him. 820 00:42:09,181 --> 00:42:12,115 NARRATOR: In this scenario, 821 00:42:12,150 --> 00:42:14,704 miscommunication can end in disaster, 822 00:42:14,739 --> 00:42:17,362 and has in the past. 823 00:42:17,396 --> 00:42:18,501 ♪ 824 00:42:21,021 --> 00:42:23,575 ♪ 825 00:42:23,610 --> 00:42:26,923 On November 7, 2007, 826 00:42:26,958 --> 00:42:29,892 the Cosco Busan, a cargo ship loaded 827 00:42:29,926 --> 00:42:32,929 with more than 2,500 containers 828 00:42:32,964 --> 00:42:35,622 was leaving the San Francisco Bay 829 00:42:35,656 --> 00:42:39,142 en route for Busan, South Korea. 830 00:42:39,177 --> 00:42:41,489 As the ship's pilot navigated the vessel 831 00:42:41,524 --> 00:42:43,457 towards the Bay Bridge, 832 00:42:43,491 --> 00:42:46,356 thick fog covered the water. 833 00:42:46,391 --> 00:42:47,910 TYLAWSKI: On that morning, 834 00:42:47,944 --> 00:42:50,706 I recall driving across the Bay Bridge 835 00:42:50,740 --> 00:42:52,397 and, looking out, 836 00:42:52,431 --> 00:42:55,124 the Port of Oakland was completely immersed in fog. 837 00:42:56,643 --> 00:42:59,059 NARRATOR: At the time, Captain Greg Tylawsky 838 00:42:59,093 --> 00:43:02,441 was training to become a San Francisco Bar pilot. 839 00:43:02,476 --> 00:43:05,686 TYLAWSKI: There's a tremendous amount of wind and fog 840 00:43:05,721 --> 00:43:08,068 that are prevalent in the area. 841 00:43:08,102 --> 00:43:10,795 You have currents that flow into the bay and out of the bay. 842 00:43:10,829 --> 00:43:14,557 NARRATOR: At 8:30 a.m., disaster struck. 843 00:43:14,592 --> 00:43:19,527 The Cosco Busan crashed into one of the towers of the Bay Bridge, 844 00:43:19,562 --> 00:43:21,150 opening a large gash in its hull. 845 00:43:22,496 --> 00:43:23,980 TYLAWSKI: A fellow trainee 846 00:43:24,015 --> 00:43:26,051 walked in and he said, 847 00:43:26,086 --> 00:43:27,881 "Hey, Greg, did you hear?" 848 00:43:27,915 --> 00:43:30,297 My first question to him was, 849 00:43:30,331 --> 00:43:31,988 "Was there any oil in the water?" 850 00:43:32,023 --> 00:43:33,680 He said, "Yes." 851 00:43:33,714 --> 00:43:36,406 NARRATOR: 53,000 gallons 852 00:43:36,441 --> 00:43:38,650 of oil from the ship's fuel tanks 853 00:43:38,685 --> 00:43:41,273 quickly spread around the Bay Area, 854 00:43:41,308 --> 00:43:44,276 eventually contaminating nearly 26 miles 855 00:43:44,311 --> 00:43:46,693 of protected coastline. 856 00:43:46,727 --> 00:43:51,318 It killed more than 2,500 birds, 857 00:43:51,352 --> 00:43:53,285 disrupted local fishing stocks, 858 00:43:53,320 --> 00:43:56,530 and cost $70 million to clean up. 859 00:43:56,564 --> 00:43:58,532 TYLAWSKI: It was a gut punch. 860 00:43:58,566 --> 00:44:01,639 We have such an unbelievable safety record. 861 00:44:01,673 --> 00:44:03,986 Something like this happening 862 00:44:04,020 --> 00:44:06,816 really hit everyone very personally. 863 00:44:06,851 --> 00:44:09,854 NARRATOR: An investigation revealed that 864 00:44:09,888 --> 00:44:12,580 in the dense fog, and faced with an 865 00:44:12,615 --> 00:44:14,686 unfamiliar radar system, 866 00:44:14,721 --> 00:44:16,723 the pilot misjudged a crucial turn. 867 00:44:16,757 --> 00:44:19,277 ♪ 868 00:44:19,311 --> 00:44:21,486 The report also found that the pilot was taking 869 00:44:21,520 --> 00:44:24,627 a number of medications that likely reduced 870 00:44:24,662 --> 00:44:27,216 his ability to safely pilot the ship. 871 00:44:29,114 --> 00:44:32,670 He was taking things that would have had a sedative effect. 872 00:44:32,704 --> 00:44:35,155 So I think it's pretty safe to say 873 00:44:35,189 --> 00:44:40,298 he would not be processing information effectively. 874 00:44:40,332 --> 00:44:42,472 NARRATOR: But the report also found that 875 00:44:42,507 --> 00:44:44,889 the captain was reluctant to assert authority 876 00:44:44,923 --> 00:44:47,685 over the pilot, and failed to oversee his performance. 877 00:44:49,065 --> 00:44:51,136 The report also suggested 878 00:44:51,171 --> 00:44:54,070 that cultural differences may have played a role. 879 00:44:54,105 --> 00:44:56,141 TYLAWSKI: The master 880 00:44:56,176 --> 00:44:58,109 was under the impression 881 00:44:58,143 --> 00:45:00,836 that it must be fine to sail the ship 882 00:45:00,870 --> 00:45:03,252 because the pilot says that we should get going. 883 00:45:03,286 --> 00:45:08,982 NARRATOR: In court, the pilot pleaded guilty to negligence. 884 00:45:09,016 --> 00:45:10,466 He lost his license 885 00:45:10,500 --> 00:45:13,503 and was jailed for ten months for causing the oil spill. 886 00:45:15,505 --> 00:45:17,645 ♪ 887 00:45:17,680 --> 00:45:19,820 The incident highlights the critical role 888 00:45:19,855 --> 00:45:23,134 pilots play in the safe navigation of big ships. 889 00:45:25,377 --> 00:45:28,277 And what can happen when the captain and the pilot 890 00:45:28,311 --> 00:45:30,762 don't communicate effectively. 891 00:45:30,797 --> 00:45:32,143 MERCOGLIANO: The relationship 892 00:45:32,177 --> 00:45:33,869 between the master and the pilot 893 00:45:33,903 --> 00:45:37,113 has to be a seamless exchange 894 00:45:37,148 --> 00:45:40,599 of information and of control of the vessel. 895 00:45:40,634 --> 00:45:44,086 NARRATOR: Is it possible that poor communication 896 00:45:44,120 --> 00:45:47,814 between the captain and pilot contributed 897 00:45:47,848 --> 00:45:49,539 to the Ever Given accident? 898 00:45:49,574 --> 00:45:51,438 ♪ 899 00:45:51,472 --> 00:45:53,992 The findings of the official investigations 900 00:45:54,027 --> 00:45:56,546 have not yet been released. 901 00:45:56,581 --> 00:45:59,135 According to the Suez Canal Authority, 902 00:45:59,170 --> 00:46:03,933 it was a complex accident with two main factors at play. 903 00:46:03,968 --> 00:46:06,729 [translated]: The biggest factors were 904 00:46:06,764 --> 00:46:09,456 the weather conditions and personal mistakes 905 00:46:09,490 --> 00:46:11,561 made by the captain. 906 00:46:11,596 --> 00:46:13,115 The captain was unable to control the ship, 907 00:46:13,149 --> 00:46:15,531 especially because he was going at a high speed, 908 00:46:15,565 --> 00:46:17,705 which was a mistake. 909 00:46:17,740 --> 00:46:22,262 NARRATOR: They also blame the captain's use of the rudder. 910 00:46:22,296 --> 00:46:23,711 [translated]: He was using the rudder 911 00:46:23,746 --> 00:46:27,025 in the wrong way; he kept changing direction too fast. 912 00:46:27,060 --> 00:46:29,821 NARRATOR: Both the owners and the operators 913 00:46:29,856 --> 00:46:32,720 of the Ever Given declined to be interviewed. 914 00:46:32,755 --> 00:46:35,827 But in court, the ship owners stated that it 915 00:46:35,862 --> 00:46:39,831 was the marine pilots who ordered the increase in speed, 916 00:46:39,866 --> 00:46:43,214 and controlled the direction of the ship. 917 00:46:43,248 --> 00:46:46,389 By analyzing transcripts of the audio recordings, 918 00:46:46,424 --> 00:46:49,703 and the report commissioned by the ship owners, 919 00:46:49,737 --> 00:46:52,188 experts can piece together a hypothesis 920 00:46:52,223 --> 00:46:55,329 of how the ship came to be going so fast, 921 00:46:55,364 --> 00:46:57,676 and why it crashed. 922 00:46:57,711 --> 00:46:59,886 ♪ 923 00:46:59,920 --> 00:47:02,164 As the Ever Given approached the canal, 924 00:47:02,198 --> 00:47:05,926 the report says that strong variable winds 925 00:47:05,961 --> 00:47:07,894 made the ship hard to control. 926 00:47:07,928 --> 00:47:11,725 MERCOGLIANO: One of the questions that needs to be asked 927 00:47:11,759 --> 00:47:13,900 is whether or not the Suez Canal Authority 928 00:47:13,934 --> 00:47:17,317 or the vessel's master should have not made 929 00:47:17,351 --> 00:47:19,837 the passage through the canal. 930 00:47:19,871 --> 00:47:21,528 ♪ 931 00:47:21,562 --> 00:47:23,668 NARRATOR: At 7:18 a.m., 932 00:47:23,702 --> 00:47:25,290 at the entrance of the canal, 933 00:47:25,325 --> 00:47:28,604 the ship veered close to the left bank. 934 00:47:28,638 --> 00:47:31,883 According to the report, the pilot then ordered 935 00:47:31,918 --> 00:47:33,920 "additional full speed ahead" 936 00:47:33,954 --> 00:47:35,853 to increase the vessel's speed. 937 00:47:35,887 --> 00:47:39,546 TYLAWSKI: This is a way to regain maneuverability, 938 00:47:39,580 --> 00:47:42,894 to increase that resistance to the wind forces. 939 00:47:42,929 --> 00:47:46,346 NARRATOR: The transcripts suggest the maritime pilot ordered 940 00:47:46,380 --> 00:47:50,108 the rudder hard left and hard right in quick succession. 941 00:47:51,558 --> 00:47:54,354 What appears to have happened was 942 00:47:54,388 --> 00:47:56,666 the situation began to degrade. 943 00:47:56,701 --> 00:47:59,186 The vessel was maneuvering in the channel. 944 00:47:59,221 --> 00:48:01,844 It was starting to lose control. 945 00:48:01,879 --> 00:48:04,536 NARRATOR: At 7:36, 946 00:48:04,571 --> 00:48:09,058 the report states that the wind rose to 48 miles per hour, 947 00:48:09,093 --> 00:48:11,026 making the vessel even more difficult to control. 948 00:48:13,028 --> 00:48:14,961 Bank effect dragged the vessel from 949 00:48:14,995 --> 00:48:17,860 one side of the canal to the other. 950 00:48:17,895 --> 00:48:22,796 The ship had now increased speed to over 13 knots. 951 00:48:22,830 --> 00:48:25,557 TYLAWSKI: Increasing speed increases inertia, 952 00:48:25,592 --> 00:48:28,250 so that if you need to do another 953 00:48:28,284 --> 00:48:31,149 corrective motion later on, guess what you have to do? 954 00:48:31,184 --> 00:48:33,117 You have to increase the speed even more. 955 00:48:33,151 --> 00:48:35,774 And now you're in a losing battle, 956 00:48:35,809 --> 00:48:38,536 because every time you increase that speed, 957 00:48:38,570 --> 00:48:41,677 you reduce your ability to get out of trouble. 958 00:48:41,711 --> 00:48:44,473 [loud thudding] 959 00:48:44,507 --> 00:48:46,337 NARRATOR: According to the report, 960 00:48:46,371 --> 00:48:48,822 many different factors played a part in the crash, 961 00:48:48,856 --> 00:48:51,790 including weather, the ship's high speed, 962 00:48:51,825 --> 00:48:55,277 and the extreme rudder orders. 963 00:48:55,311 --> 00:48:57,106 The Canal Authority say 964 00:48:57,141 --> 00:48:59,937 that the pilots are not to blame. 965 00:48:59,971 --> 00:49:02,491 RABIE [translated]: The instructions being given 966 00:49:02,525 --> 00:49:04,976 by the pilots to the captain are for guidance. 967 00:49:05,011 --> 00:49:08,290 At the end of the day, it's the captain's responsibility. 968 00:49:08,324 --> 00:49:12,363 He can choose whether or not he follows the pilot's advice. 969 00:49:12,397 --> 00:49:15,021 ♪ 970 00:49:15,055 --> 00:49:17,264 NARRATOR: Legally, the captain is always responsible 971 00:49:17,299 --> 00:49:19,439 for the safety of the ship. 972 00:49:19,473 --> 00:49:21,924 But in practice, it's very rare 973 00:49:21,959 --> 00:49:24,444 for a captain to overrule their pilot. 974 00:49:26,377 --> 00:49:29,000 Questions remain about the decision making 975 00:49:29,035 --> 00:49:31,347 and communication on the bridge. 976 00:49:33,039 --> 00:49:35,524 MERCOGLIANO: If a master has a question regarding a pilot, 977 00:49:35,558 --> 00:49:38,044 it's within his authority to immediately, 978 00:49:38,078 --> 00:49:41,116 without question, assume command of the vessel. 979 00:49:41,150 --> 00:49:43,463 But the implications are, 980 00:49:43,497 --> 00:49:46,086 should an accident befall that vessel, 981 00:49:46,121 --> 00:49:49,193 the master, by relieving the pilot, 982 00:49:49,227 --> 00:49:53,024 has taken upon himself the full responsibility 983 00:49:53,059 --> 00:49:56,855 for whatever happens on the ship. 984 00:49:56,890 --> 00:49:59,444 It also could create a potential problem 985 00:49:59,479 --> 00:50:02,033 in the future should that vessel come into 986 00:50:02,068 --> 00:50:04,760 that harbor and have to use pilots 987 00:50:04,794 --> 00:50:06,555 from that same association. 988 00:50:06,589 --> 00:50:08,039 ♪ 989 00:50:08,074 --> 00:50:10,041 NARRATOR: After a trial in the Egyptian courts, 990 00:50:10,076 --> 00:50:13,355 the canal authority and the ship owners reached 991 00:50:13,389 --> 00:50:16,323 a settlement for an undisclosed sum. 992 00:50:16,358 --> 00:50:20,189 ♪ 993 00:50:22,329 --> 00:50:25,988 The Ever Given was finally allowed to continue its journey, 994 00:50:26,023 --> 00:50:28,508 more than 100 days after the crash. 995 00:50:31,028 --> 00:50:34,445 It arrived in the Netherlands on July 29th 996 00:50:34,479 --> 00:50:37,931 and in England the following week, 997 00:50:37,965 --> 00:50:39,277 four months late. 998 00:50:43,109 --> 00:50:45,973 This six-day blockage of the Suez Canal 999 00:50:46,008 --> 00:50:50,599 held up an estimated $58 billion of cargo, 1000 00:50:50,633 --> 00:50:54,258 reportedly cost Egypt up to $90 million 1001 00:50:54,292 --> 00:50:56,087 in lost revenue, 1002 00:50:56,122 --> 00:50:58,952 and reduced annual world trade growth. 1003 00:50:58,986 --> 00:51:02,818 ♪ 1004 00:51:02,852 --> 00:51:05,131 In Egypt, the Canal Authority 1005 00:51:05,165 --> 00:51:07,995 is extending a second lane farther south, 1006 00:51:08,030 --> 00:51:11,275 and widening key sections of the waterway, 1007 00:51:11,309 --> 00:51:14,312 to make the route safer for large ships. 1008 00:51:14,347 --> 00:51:15,555 RABIE [translated]: We're on track 1009 00:51:15,589 --> 00:51:17,626 and we'll hopefully finish in two years. 1010 00:51:17,660 --> 00:51:20,767 NARRATOR: But the accident has highlighted 1011 00:51:20,801 --> 00:51:23,218 the vulnerability of international shipping, 1012 00:51:23,252 --> 00:51:26,876 and the fragility of our global supply chain. 1013 00:51:26,911 --> 00:51:30,811 MERCOGLIANO: We have not kept up with the safety measures 1014 00:51:30,846 --> 00:51:34,229 that really need to ensure that accidents 1015 00:51:34,263 --> 00:51:36,472 similar to the ones we've seen 1016 00:51:36,507 --> 00:51:38,750 are prevented in the future. 1017 00:51:38,785 --> 00:51:42,789 It's too easy for things to go catastrophically wrong. 1018 00:51:42,823 --> 00:51:46,068 SULLIVAN: The Ever Given was, I think, a wakeup call 1019 00:51:46,103 --> 00:51:47,828 to everybody of the fact that 1020 00:51:47,863 --> 00:51:49,589 you're going to have bigger and bigger ships. 1021 00:51:49,623 --> 00:51:52,385 You're more reliant on fewer ships with more containers. 1022 00:51:52,419 --> 00:51:55,940 And if those ships don't arrive, you can shut down an economy. 1023 00:51:55,974 --> 00:51:58,218 And I think if you didn't get the message 1024 00:51:58,253 --> 00:52:01,635 from the Ever Given, you weren't paying attention. 1025 00:52:01,670 --> 00:52:05,432 ♪ 1026 00:52:10,092 --> 00:52:13,026 ♪ 1027 00:52:32,010 --> 00:52:35,600 ♪ 1028 00:52:44,161 --> 00:52:47,094 ♪ 1029 00:52:57,208 --> 00:53:00,142 ♪