Double trouble for grounded container ships

Elsewhere in this column reference is made to a vehicle carrier intentionally grounded in the Solent after encountering stability problems. There have now been two incidents of large container ships intentionally grounded, one close to the incident in the Solent, the second in the River Elbe in Germany.

The first incident to mention involves the 19,100teu CSCL Indian Ocean which was grounded following a “technical failure” near Lühesand on the River Elbe around 25km downriver from Hamburg. As can be expected in such a busy waterway the response was both immediate and substantive with coordination carried out by Germany’s Command for Maritime Emergencies and very soon the ship’s owner China Shipping appointed Kotug Offshore and Smit Salvage to refloat the ship.

Unlike the second incident reported below there was to be no quick solution for the CSCL Indian Ocean with the deeply-loaded vessel grounding close to high water ruling out a quick refloating. Kotug and Hamburg-based Bugsier Reederei have a presence in the area and tugs from each company maintained a presence throughout the ensuing preparation for a refloating attempt.

Salvors have long debated the issue of handling the latest generation of ultra-large container ships should a grounding require more than just a coordinated pull by a gathering of tugs on the next high tide and this grounding was to put their ingenuity to the test.

After attempts to refloat the vessel were unsuccessful plans was drawn up involving two main elements, removal of 6,500 tons of fuel oil and ballast water from the vessel and deployment of dredgers to remove soil from around the starboard side and the bow and stern of the vessel.

Several days after the initial grounding advantage was taken of a high spring tide and a formidable fleet of twelve tugs totalling 1,085tbp assembled for a refloating attempt. The bulk were ship-handling tugs from Kotug and Bugsier but the main muscle was provided by the anchor-handling tugs Fairmount Expedition (205tbp) and Union Manta (206tbp), both part of Smit’s parent company Boskalis. In an operation lasting several hours the 399m long, CSCL Indian Ocean was successfully refloated and towed to the Eurogate Container Terminal. No pollution or injuries were reported throughout the incident.

The second grounding involved the 13,892teu container vessel APL Vanda which just a few days after the River Elbe incident, ran aground on the Bramble Bank in what was described as a “controlled grounding” following a reported loss of power while approaching the UK port of Southampton. Eight port tugs were quickly on scene and just a few hours later were able to refloat the vessel on the rising tide.

By Peter Barker