Classification
- Incident Type: Grounded
- Severity: Medium
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Vessel Name | Lady Zehma |
| Vessel Type | Bulk Carrier |
| Flag State | Panama [PA] |
| IMO Number | 9303431 |
| Gross Tonnage | |
| LOA (m) | 173 |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Date | 2022-09-01 |
| Location | Bebek Bay, Bosphorus Strait, Istanbul, Turkey |
| Region | Turkey |
| Fatalities | |
| Injuries | |
| Missing | |
| Direct Damage | |
| Economic Damage | |
Key facts
- Lady Zehma grounded in Bebek Bay on 1 September 2022, temporarily suspending traffic in the Bosphorus.
- The Turkish General Directorate of Coastal Safety reported that the ship suffered a rudder failure.
- Coastal safety teams boarded the vessel; it was later refloated and moved to anchorage, after which traffic resumed.
- The UN Joint Coordination Centre recorded that the vessel had initially declared 3,000 metric tons of corn for Ravenna; its 3 September inspection found 30,274 metric tons aboard.
Narrative
On 1 September 2022, the Panama-flagged bulk carrier Lady Zehma grounded in Bebek Bay in Istanbul's Bosphorus Strait. The Turkish General Directorate of Coastal Safety reported a rudder failure, and gCaptain reported that traffic was suspended while response boats and tugs attended. Coastal safety teams boarded the vessel. A later update attributed to the Directorate said the ship had been refloated and moved to anchorage, allowing Bosphorus traffic to resume.
The UN Joint Coordination Centre's 29 August operational update listed Lady Zehma as authorized to sail from Chornomorsk to Ravenna with 3,000 metric tons of corn. The JCC's 3 September update clarified that this was the amount initially declared: an inspection found 30,274 metric tons aboard. The available records establish the grounding and response but do not provide an official investigation report, damage assessment, or confirmed casualty count.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|
| 2022-08-29 | The JCC authorized Lady Zehma to move on 30 August from Chornomorsk to Ravenna with 3,000 metric tons of corn initially declared. |
| 2022-09-01 | Lady Zehma grounded in Bebek Bay and Bosphorus traffic was suspended. |
| 2022-09-01 | The vessel was refloated and moved to anchorage; Bosphorus traffic resumed. |
| 2022-09-03 | JCC inspection found 30,274 metric tons of corn aboard rather than the 3,000 metric tons initially declared; the vessel was cleared to sail. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|
| Rudder failure | Reported | gCaptain attributed the rudder-failure report to the Turkish General Directorate of Coastal Safety; no official investigation finding has been identified. |
Investigation
No official investigation report or findings about the grounding's cause have been identified. The reported rudder failure is attributed to the General Directorate of Coastal Safety through contemporary reporting.
References
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