Classification
- Incident Type: Hydrodynamic Interaction
- Severity: High
- Region: North Sea
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | Smit Polen |
| Vessel Type | Tug |
| Flag State | Netherlands [NL] |
| IMO Number | 8521701 |
| Gross Tonnage | 236 |
| LOA (m) | 28.6 |
| Breadth (m) | 8.7 |
| Bollard Pull (t) | 35 |
| Power (kW) | 1765 |
| Year Built | 1986 |
| People aboard | 4 (3 crew and 1 other person) |
| Assisting vessel | Maersk Nijmegen, container ship |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | 2011-01-13 |
| Location | Nieuwe Maas, Rotterdam, Netherlands |
| Region | North Sea |
| Coordinates | 51.9244, 4.4778 |
| Fatalities | |
| Injuries | |
| Missing | |
| Direct Damage | Several bridge windows broke when the tug's bridge contacted Maersk Nijmegen's bow. |
| Economic Damage |
Key facts
- The Dutch Safety Board report describes Smit Polen attempting to make fast to the port-forward side of Maersk Nijmegen for a stern-to-bow assist.
- During the manoeuvre, Smit Polen contacted the container ship's bulbous bow, came broadside, and heeled first to about 45 degrees and then to about 80 degrees to port.
- The tug freed itself from the bulb and righted; several bridge windows broke when its bridge then contacted Maersk Nijmegen's bow.
- The report identifies Smit Polen as a Dutch tug built in 1986, with IMO number 8521701, 236 GT, 28.6 m LOA, 8.7 m breadth, 1,765 kW, and 35 tonnes bollard pull.
Narrative
On 13 January 2011, Smit Polen was the forward tug in a planned operation to make fast to Maersk Nijmegen on the Nieuwe Maas in Rotterdam. The tug approached the port-forward side of the container ship to establish a stern-to-bow assisting connection. The report records a speed of about 7.3 knots over the ground during the approach and an ebb current of about 1.6 knots.
While the master moved from the aft control position toward the forward controls, Smit Polen's starboard aft side contacted the port-forward side of Maersk Nijmegen's bulbous bow. The tug then lay across the container ship's bow and heeled to about 45 degrees, increasing to approximately 80 degrees to port. The tug was released from the bulb by Maersk Nijmegen's forward motion and righted itself. During the righting movement, Smit Polen's bridge contacted the bow and several bridge windows broke. The reviewed report records the operating sequence and vessel particulars but does not establish fatalities, injuries, missing persons, pollution, or economic loss for this occurrence.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|---|
| 2011-01-13 | Smit Polen approached Maersk Nijmegen to make fast for a stern-to-bow assist. |
| 2011-01-13 | The tug contacted the container ship's bulbous bow and heeled to about 80 degrees to port. |
| 2011-01-13 | Smit Polen freed itself, righted, and sustained broken bridge windows during contact with the bow. |
Investigation
The Dutch Safety Board's report on the Fairplay 22 casualty includes Smit Polen as a comparative case. It examined the tug's design stability and watertight or ventilating openings. The report states that Smit Polen met the stability requirements applicable at the time of construction and the additional criteria considered for modern tugs. It does not provide a standalone investigation outcome or a complete casualty account for the Smit Polen occurrence.