Beaumaiden grounding off Bornholm (2021)

Classification

Incident Type: Grounded
Severity: Low, reflecting the minor reported damage and absence of reported injuries.
Investigation status: DMAIB investigation completed.

Vessel Details

Field	Value
Vessel Name	Beaumaiden
Vessel Type	General cargo
Flag State	Netherlands [NL]
IMO Number	9401257
Gross Tonnage	2,545
LOA (m)	88.60
Breadth (m)	12.51
Year Built	2008
Persons aboard	7
Owner	Valparola Beaumaiden B.V.
Manager	Vertom
Cargo	Approximately 3,000 tonnes of fertiliser

Incident Details

Field	Value
Date	2021-10-18
Time	Approximately 03:25-03:27 local time
Location	Off Sorthat-Muleby (Sorthat Odde), Bornholm, Denmark
Coordinates	55.1482, 14.6970
Region	Baltic Sea
Fatalities
Injuries	0
Missing
Direct Damage	Minor hull damage below the waterline, including forepeak damage, indentations, and cracks in welding seams
Economic Damage
Pollution	None reported in the reviewed sources

Key facts

Beaumaiden departed Antwerp on 15 October 2021 with approximately 3,000 tonnes of fertiliser and was bound for Tallinn via the Kiel Canal.
During the night watch on 17-18 October, the master was alone on the bridge and no effective lookout was posted.
The master left the bridge for his cabin at about 23:40 and fell asleep. The ship continued on autopilot with an unmanned bridge for approximately four hours.
The bridge navigational watch alarm system (BNWAS) was not activated or in normal use. DMAIB found that the system function-tested normally after the casualty.
The ship passed a planned waypoint without changing from a 066-degree course to the planned 038-degree course and continued toward Bornholm.
The grounding caused minor hull damage below the waterline. The vessel was refloated with tug assistance on 20 October and taken to Rønne.

Narrative

Beaumaiden departed Antwerp on 15 October 2021, transited the Kiel Canal, and continued eastbound toward Tallinn with a fertiliser cargo. The ship was a Dutch-flagged general cargo vessel with seven persons aboard. During the evening and night of 17-18 October, the master took the bridge watch alone.

The master left the bridge at about 23:40 to use the toilet in his cabin because the bridge toilet did not flush properly. He then fell asleep and did not wake the third officer for the next watch. DMAIB found that no night lookout was effectively posted and that the BNWAS was not activated or normally used. The ship continued on autopilot while the bridge was unattended.

At approximately 01:20, Beaumaiden passed a waypoint without making the planned course alteration. Maritime Assistance Service Denmark attempted to contact the vessel at approximately 02:55, without response by VHF, DSC, or telephone. The vessel grounded off Sorthat-Muleby at approximately 03:25-03:27 local time. DMAIB recorded minor hull damage below the waterline, including forepeak damage, indentations, and cracks in welding seams. A ballast tank later took in water during refloating.

The Dutch Maritime Disciplinary Court found that the master had consumed alcohol before and during the watch and had failed to perform his watchkeeping duties. Bornholms Politi separately reported a Danish default judgment involving an alcohol reading of at least 1.55 per mille, a DKK 56,000 income-based fine, and a one-year revocation of the right to command or serve as an officer or engineer. The final appeal status is not established by the police notice.

Sequence of events

Date/time	Event
2021-10-15	Beaumaiden departed Antwerp with approximately 3,000 tonnes of fertiliser, bound for Tallinn via the Kiel Canal.
2021-10-17 20:00	The master began the relevant bridge watch.
2021-10-17 approximately 23:40	The master left the bridge for his cabin and later fell asleep.
2021-10-18 approximately 01:20	The vessel passed a waypoint without making the planned course alteration.
2021-10-18 approximately 02:55	Maritime Assistance Service Denmark attempted to contact the vessel.
2021-10-18 approximately 03:25-03:27	Beaumaiden grounded off Sorthat-Muleby, Bornholm.
2021-10-20	The vessel was refloated with tug assistance and taken to Rønne.

Contributing factors

Factor	Evidence status	Description
Master left the bridge and fell asleep	Confirmed finding	DMAIB found that the master left the bridge for his cabin and did not return, leaving the vessel without an effective navigational watch.
No effective night lookout	Confirmed finding	DMAIB found that a night lookout was not effectively posted during the relevant watch.
BNWAS not activated or in normal use	Confirmed finding	DMAIB found that the alarm was not activated or normally used because resetting it was considered inconvenient; the equipment function-tested normally afterward.
Defective bridge toilet	Confirmed finding	The faulty bridge toilet contributed to the master's decision to use the toilet in his cabin.
Crew scheduling and watchkeeping practice	Confirmed finding	DMAIB identified a conflict between work schedules and the requirement for a lookout during dark hours, together with a practice of operating without an effective lookout.
Alcohol consumption during the watch	Confirmed finding	The Dutch Maritime Disciplinary Court found that the master consumed alcohol before and during the watch and treated his conduct as a serious breach of watchkeeping duties.
Phone calls, loud music, and incomplete records	Confirmed finding	The Dutch disciplinary ruling found that phone use, loud music affecting VHF listening, and inaccurate watchkeeping records formed part of the master's misconduct.

Investigation

DMAIB completed the safety investigation into the grounding and identified the unattended bridge, ineffective lookout arrangements, non-use of BNWAS, the defective bridge toilet, and watchkeeping practice as relevant causal conditions. The safety investigation is separate from subsequent legal proceedings.

The Dutch Maritime Disciplinary Court suspended the master's navigation licence for two years and activated a further four-week conditional suspension. Bornholms Politi reported a separate Danish default judgment with a DKK 56,000 fine and a one-year revocation of the right to command or serve as an officer or engineer. The appeal status of that judgment remains unresolved.

References

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