Bundesstelle für Seeunfalluntersuchung Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation Federal Higher Authority subordinated to the Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure Investigation Report 289/12 Serious Marine Casualty Ground contact by the oil tanker KATJA in the River Jade on 14 August 2012 18 November 2014 BundesstBel le fürSSeeuUnfalluntersuchung Ref.: 289/12 Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation The investigation was conducted in conformity with the Law to improve safety of shipping by investigating marine casualties and other incidents (Maritime Safety Investigation Law - SUG) of 16 June 2002, amended most recently by Article 1 of 22 November 2011, BGBl. (Federal Law Gazette) I p. 2279. According to said Law, the sole objective of this investigation is to prevent future accidents and malfunctions. This investigation does not serve to ascertain fault, liability or claims (Article 9(2) SUG). This report should not be used in court proceedings or proceedings of the Maritime Board. Reference is made to Article 34(4) SUG. The German text shall prevail in the interpretation of this investigation report. Issued by: Bundesstelle für Seeunfalluntersuchung - BSU Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation Bernhard-Nocht-Str. 78 20359 Hamburg Germany Director: Volker Schellhammer Phone: +49 40 31908300 Fax: +49 40 31908340 [email protected] www.bsu-bund.de _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Page 2 of 48 BundesstBel le fürSSeeuUnfalluntersuchung Ref.: 289/12 Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation Table of Contents 1 SUMMARY ......................................................................................................... 6 2 FACTUAL INFORMATION ................................................................................. 7 2.1 Ships photo .......................................................................................... 7 2.2 Ship particulars ..................................................................................... 7 2.3 Voyage particulars ................................................................................ 8 2.4 Marine casualty information.................................................................. 9 2.5 Shore authority involvement and emergency response ...................... 10 3 COURSE OF THE ACCIDENT AND INVESTIGATION ................................... 11 3.1 Course of the accident ....................................................................... 11 3.2 Course of events after the accident .................................................... 15 3.3 Investigation ....................................................................................... 17 3.3.1 The island of Minsener Oog ............................................................... 17 3.3.2 Motor Tanker KATJA .......................................................................... 19 3.3.3 Crew ................................................................................................... 20 3.3.4 Pilots .................................................................................................. 21 3.3.5 Voyage preparation ............................................................................ 22 3.3.5.1 Voyage preparation on board ............................................................. 22 3.3.5.2 Voyage preparation by the sea pilot ................................................... 23 3.3.5.3 Voyage preparation at the VTS .......................................................... 23 3.3.6 Execution of the voyage ..................................................................... 25 3.3.7 Drift calculation ................................................................................... 32 3.3.8 Fairway maintenance ......................................................................... 34 3.3.8.1 Morphological assessment of the sandbank in the area of the accident .............................................................................................. 35 3.3.8.2 Dredging in the area of the accident ................................................... 35 3.3.8.3 Soundings in the area of the accident ................................................ 36 3.3.8.4 Relocation of buoys ............................................................................ 38 3.3.9 AIS recordings .................................................................................... 38 4 ANALYSIS........................................................................................................ 40 4.1 Course of the accident ....................................................................... 40 4.2 Human factors .................................................................................... 42 4.3 Voyage preparation ............................................................................ 43 4.4 Course and maintenance of the fairway ............................................. 43 4.5 Events following the accident ............................................................. 44 5 CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................... 46 5.1 Advice by the sea pilot ....................................................................... 46 5.2 Communication .................................................................................. 46 6 SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................... 47 6.1 Pilot Station Wilhelmshaven ............................................................... 47 6.2 Ship's management of Motor Tanker KATJA ..................................... 47 7 SOURCES ....................................................................................................... 48 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Page 3 of 48 BundesstBel le fürSSeeuUnfalluntersuchung Ref.: 289/12 Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation Table of Figures Figure 1: Photo of ship ............................................................................................... 7 Figure 2: Nautical chart .............................................................................................. 9 Figure 3: Course of the voyage taken by the KATJA ................................................ 12 Figure 4: The KATJA's radar plot at 003910 ............................................................. 13 Figure 5: The KATJA's radar plot at 004110 ............................................................. 13 Figure 6: The KATJA's radar plot at 004225 ............................................................. 14 Figure 7: The KATJA's radar plot at 004310 ............................................................. 14 Figure 8: The KATJA's radar plot at 004525 ............................................................. 15 Figure 9: The KATJA refloats ................................................................................... 16 Figure 10: The approach to Wilhelmshaven ............................................................. 17 Figure 11: Wadden Sea National Park of Lower Saxony .......................................... 18 Figure 12: Bridge of the KATJA ................................................................................ 19 Figure 13: Repair work in the dry dock ..................................................................... 20 Figure 14: Excerpt from Paper Chart INT 1456 from aboard the KATJA .................. 23 Figure 15: Sounding charts displayed at the VTS ..................................................... 24 Figure 16: Fairway around Minsener Oog – shown on a computer at VTS Wilhelmshaven ........................................................................................ 24 Figure 17: Excerpt from the BSH's drift model (oil drift between Wangerooge and the mainland between 0630 and 1800) ............................................. 33 Figure 18: Excerpt from the BSH's drift model (oil drift north of Wangerooge between 1100 and 2300) ......................................................................... 34 Figure 19: Sounding chart of 3 September 2012 ...................................................... 35 Figure 20: Excerpt from the sounding chart of 8 August 2012 with the KATJA's course inserted ........................................................................................ 36 Figure 21: Details of the accident area, sounding chart of 8 August 2012 ................ 37 Figure 22: Details of the accident area, sounding chart of 4 September 2012 ......... 37 Figure 23: Chart of the now completed buoy relocation ........................................... 38 Figure 24: AIS plot from Jade Traffic; KATJA at the scene of the accident .............. 39 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Page 4 of 48 BundesstBel le fürSSeeuUnfalluntersuchung Ref.: 289/12 Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation Table of Spreadsheets Spreadsheet 1: Excerpt from the “Log book for passing buoys/landmarks” ............. 25 Spreadsheet 2: Log of the bridge conversation and VHF channel 63 ....................... 26 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Page 5 of 48 BundesstBel le fürSSeeuUnfalluntersuchung Ref.: 289/12 Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation 1 Summary The oil tanker KATJA, flying the flag of the Bahamas,