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Accidents

Eddy I (2015)

The Dutch tug Eddy I collided with the incoming stone-dumper Seahorse while attempting to make a towline connection in Bremerhaven.

Classification

  • Incident Type: Collision
  • Severity: Medium
  • Official OVV classification: Serious
  • Region: Germany

Vessel Details

FieldValue
Vessel NameEddy I
Vessel TypeTug
Flag StateNetherlands [NL]
IMO Number9714575
MMSI244670918
Call SignPCMS
Gross Tonnage399
LOA (m)30.30
Breadth (m)
Year Built2014
Other VesselSeahorse, stone-dumper
Other Vessel Flag StateNetherlands [NL]
Other Vessel IMO Number8213744

Incident Details

FieldValue
Date2015-05-24
LocationBremerhaven, Germany
Coordinates53.5505, 8.5852
RegionGermany
Fatalities
Injuries
Missing
DamageEddy I sustained serious damage; Seahorse sustained paint damage.
PollutionNot stated in the official occurrence report.
Economic Damage
Investigation BodyOnderzoeksraad voor Veiligheid (Dutch Safety Board)

Key facts

  • Eddy I had transferred two pilots to Seahorse before moving forward to establish a towline connection at the port bow.
  • A pulling force drew Eddy I toward Seahorse during two approaches; the tug’s captain compensated with counter-rudder but could not stabilize the tug sufficiently on the second approach.
  • Eddy I struck the port side of Seahorse’s bow and scraped along its port side before breaking free after passing the stern.
  • Eddy I reached a nearby berth under its own power. Seahorse continued upriver after sustaining paint damage.

Narrative

On 24 May 2015, the Dutch-flagged tug Eddy I approached the incoming Dutch-flagged stone-dumper Seahorse in Bremerhaven to establish a towline connection. Before the approach, Eddy I had transferred two pilots to Seahorse on the port side amidships. Eddy I then moved forward toward Seahorse’s port bow. During this movement, a pulling force drew the tug toward Seahorse, requiring the captain to apply counter-rudder. The tug could not be stabilized sufficiently, so the crew decided to make another approach.

The pulling force recurred during the second approach. This time, the captain could not compensate sufficiently. Eddy I struck the port side of Seahorse’s bow with a loud impact and scraped along Seahorse’s port side toward the stern. The tug became free after passing the stern. The Dutch Safety Board reported that Eddy I sustained serious damage but reached a nearby berth under its own power. Seahorse sustained paint damage and continued farther up the river.

The public OVV occurrence description does not establish whether anyone was killed, injured, or missing, and it does not report pollution or a monetary damage estimate.

Sequence of events

Date/timeEvent
2015-05-24Eddy I transferred two pilots to Seahorse on the port side amidships.
2015-05-24Eddy I moved toward Seahorse’s port bow to establish a towline connection.
2015-05-24A pulling force drew Eddy I toward Seahorse; the captain compensated with counter-rudder and made a second approach.
2015-05-24Eddy I struck and scraped Seahorse, then reached a nearby berth under its own power. Seahorse continued upriver.

Contributing factors

FactorEvidence statusDescription
Towline forces during the approachConfirmed findingThe OVV occurrence description states that a pulling force drew Eddy I toward Seahorse on both approaches and that the captain was unable to compensate sufficiently on the second approach.

Investigation

The Onderzoeksraad voor Veiligheid (Dutch Safety Board) included the collision in its Shipping Occurrences Report, May–October 2015. The publication gives an occurrence description and classifies the event as Serious. No separate public causal investigation report for this collision was identified in the OVV material reviewed. The official description does not establish casualty, pollution, or monetary-loss figures.

References

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