Classification
- Incident Type: Capsize unknown mechanism
- Severity: High
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Vessel Name | Stevns Power |
| Vessel Type | Tug |
| Flag State | |
| IMO Number | |
| Call Sign | |
| Gross Tonnage | |
| LOA (m) | |
| Breadth (m) | |
| Bollard Pull (t) | |
| Power (kW) | |
| Owner/Operator | |
| TEU | |
| Year Built | |
| Crew Size | |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Date | 2003-10-19 |
| Location | Nigerian coast |
| Coordinates | 6.0000, 4.0000 |
| Region | Atlantic Ocean |
| Fatalities | 11 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Missing | 0 |
| Vessels Lost | 1 |
| Direct Damage | |
| Economic Damage | |
| Outcome | Stevns Power sank with all hands while running anchors for Castoro Otto; the reviewed article reported no survivors. |
Key facts
- Stevns Power was running anchors for the pipe-laying vessel Castoro Otto offshore Nigeria.
- The reviewed article reported that the tug heeled to port, took water on the aft deck and sank rapidly stern-first.
- The article reported no survivors and listed an 11-person crew: three Danes, six Filipinos and two Congolese.
- Damage beyond the loss of the tug, pollution and economic loss were not quantified in the reviewed material.
Narrative
The reviewed Shipping Times article reports that the anchor-handling tug Stevns Power was lost on 19 October 2003 while supporting the pipe-laying vessel Castoro Otto offshore Nigeria. The incident occurred in calm conditions. Stevns Power was running anchors on the port side of Castoro Otto while Maersk Terrier worked on the starboard side. After picking up No. 10 anchor, Stevns Power was being recovered toward the pipe-layer before moving toward a new anchor position.
The article states that the tug began to heel to port and trim by the stern. The chief officer on Castoro Otto saw water on the aft deck, after which Stevns Power sank very quickly stern-first. It reports no survivors and lists three Danish, six Filipino and two Congolese crew members. The article cites a Danish investigation and discusses likely contributing factors including excessive stern trim, rapid mooring recovery, possible open watertight openings and limited anchor-handling coverage in the company's safety-management system. These are reported or suspected factors, not findings from an official investigation reviewed here.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|
| 2003-10-19 | Stevns Power was running anchors for Castoro Otto offshore Nigeria. |
| 2003-10-19 | The tug picked up No. 10 anchor and was recovered toward Castoro Otto before moving to a new anchor position. |
| 2003-10-19 | Stevns Power heeled to port, took water on the aft deck and sank stern-first. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|
| Excessive stern trim | Reported | The reviewed article discussed excessive trim by the stern as a likely factor. |
| Rapid mooring recovery | Reported | The article discussed very fast recovery of the mooring or anchor arrangement. |
| Possible open watertight openings | Suspected | The article raised open watertight openings as a possible contributor, but did not establish this as a finding. |
| Anchor-handling coverage | Reported | The article discussed limited anchor-handling coverage in the company safety-management system. |
Investigation
The reviewed article cites a Danish investigation, but no official investigation report was available in the linked source set. The casualty mechanism and the reported contributing factors therefore remain subject to confirmation by a primary source.
References
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