DIVER MASTER gets capsized and subsequently foundered
Danish Maritime Accident Investigation Board (DMAIB) issued a Marine Accident report regarding the tug boat DIVER MASTER that was acting as the forward tug boat for asail training ship.
The sail training ship KRUZENSHTERN was scheduled for an early departure from The Tall Ships Races 2014 in Esbjerg, Denmark, on 4 August at 1730. The event did not end until the next day, but KRUZENSHTERN needed to be in time for another event. A fireworks show was planned for later that night and, for safety reasons, the port was scheduled to be closed at 1800.
The tug boats SVITZER HELIOS and SVITZER TRYM had been ordered to assist KRUZENSHTERN on departure. When the time of departure approached, it became uncertain whether SVITZER TRYM would be able to finish another job in due time, and the option of substituting SVITZER TRYM for another smaller tug boat, DIVER MASTER, was accepted by all the parties involved.
DIVER MASTER was acting as the forward tug boat during KRUZENSHTERN´s departure. Once they exited the port breakwaters, KRUZENSHTERN prepared for a starboard turn to follow the route through Grådyb Channel. The pilot on board KRUZENSHTERN ordered DIVER MASTER into a one o´clock position in preparation for the turn, but the master of DIVER MASTER lost control of the tug which ended up being dragged by its own towline. DIVER MASTER swung onto, and hit, the side of KRUZENSHTERN. DIVER MASTER capsized and subsequently foundered as a result of flooding.
The investigation has concentrated on the technical aspects of the accident as well as the decision to use DIVER MASTER as a substitute for SVITZER TRYM.
DIVER MASTER was subsequently salvaged but was not put back into service. The owner and master, at the time of the accident, is no longer the owner of the company.
| Conclusions |
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DIVER MASTER was requested as a substitute for the larger SVITZER TRYM. The parties involved in the towing operation considered this an unproblematic and convenient solution in a situation which was influenced by time constraints due to KRUZENSHTERN’s need to depart Esbjerg before the port was closed. As DIVER MASTER manoeuvred into a position where it was overtaken by its own tow, it was left in a critical situation. Control of the tug was lost and the girting phenomenon occurred. This led to the capsizing, flooding through deck openings, and subsequent foundering of DIVER MASTER. The period of time covering the events leading up to the accident left only limited time to respond to the situation. Moreover, during the unfolding events, options for mitigating the critical situation were not obvious to the master of DIVER MASTER. The circumstances inevitably meant that the knowledge of the overall situation and its final outcome held by the crewmembers on board both DIVER MASTER and KRUZENSHTERN was limited as the events unfolded. Girting is a phenomenon known to have occurred during various other towing scenarios. Therefore the difference in size between DIVER MASTER and KRUZENSHTERN cannot be considered the single determining factor during these accidental events. It was, however, decisive for the outcome that the critical situation could not be mitigated by releasing the towing hook. When attempts to release the towing hook failed, the crewmembers on board DIVER MASTER did not have any more time to pursue other options before the consequences became inevitable. The master of DIVER MASTER was not formally qualified for his position. A direct causality between the missing qualification and the accident has not been established by the DMAIB. However an indirect connection was found as the missing qualification indicated that there was no professionalized organizing of ship board operations. DIVER MASTER was subsequently salvaged. However, the ship had suffered substantial damage and therefore it is no longer in service. BB Towing & Diving is no longer owned by the master who was involved in the accident. |
Further information may be found by reading DMAIB Marine Accident Report by clicking on the image below:
Source and Image Credit: DMAIB
