Classification
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Incident type | Allision |
| Severity | Medium |
| Marine casualty classification | Serious |
| Region | Baltic Sea |
| Location | Masnedsund, Port of Vordingborg, Denmark |
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | KARLA C |
| Type | General cargo |
| Flag state | United Kingdom |
| IMO number | 9558012 |
| Call sign | 2DNZ4 |
| DOC company | Carisbrooke Shipping Ltd |
| Year built | 2010 |
| Length overall | 106.07 m |
| Breadth overall | 15.50 m |
| Gross tonnage | 4,151 |
| Deadweight | 6,795.18 tonnes |
| Maximum draught | 8.15 m |
| Manning | 9 |
| Passengers | 0 |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 54°59.83′N, 11°53.34′E |
| Date and time | 2014-04-13 22:47 local time |
| Position | 54°59.83′N, 11°53.34′E |
| Voyage | Amsterdam, the Netherlands, to Port of Vordingborg, Denmark |
| Voyage condition | Ballast, international voyage, arrival |
| Pilot | On board |
| Ship outcome | Proceeded to berth after the allision |
| Direct damage | Considerable damage to the ship's port quarter, gangway, lifeboat davit, and port freshwater tank; bridge footpath, light mast, support structure, and railway damaged |
| Bridge and railway damage | Damage to the footpath, light mast, support structure, railway, and a western duc d'albe; spans shifted approximately 10-15 mm |
| Casualty counts | Not stated in the official DMAIB summary report |
Key facts
- The bow thruster had already shut down from overheating during the voyage and malfunctioned again during the turning manoeuvre.
- The ship was approximately 200-300 m from the bridge when the risk of allision became evident.
- Both anchors were dropped, but the starboard anchor release was delayed while the forecastle crew confirmed the emergency order and released the riding chock and brake.
- After the allision, the vessel was stabilized, proceeded to berth, and was moored.
- The road was reopened after inspection; rail traffic remained closed for several days while damage was repaired and assessed.
Narrative
KARLA C departed Amsterdam at 02:50 on 13 April 2014 in ballast. About 30 minutes after departure, the bow thruster shut down because of overheating. The crew and the company exchanged information about checks for the fault during the voyage. The ship later proceeded from the Kiel Canal toward Vordingborg, and a pilot boarded at Bredegrund at 21:55. The wind was westerly and the current was running east at approximately 1.5 knots, increasing as the channel narrowed toward the bridge.
The planned berth was starboard side alongside. During the approach, the pilot and master decided to turn the ship around so that it would come alongside with the bow heading into the wind and current. The bow thruster was used to assist the turn but overheated and stopped. The main engine and rudder could not manoeuvre the ship clear because the ship was large, the clearance ahead and astern was limited, and the pitch propellers would not respond quickly enough for the situation.
When the bridge was about 200-300 m away, the pilot and master ordered the forecastle crew to drop the starboard anchor. The order had to be repeated and the release was delayed while the crew confirmed the emergency and operated the riding chock and brake. The port anchor followed shortly afterwards, but the ship swung upstream. At 22:47, the aft part of KARLA C allided with bridge pillar no. 2 and then the western duc d'albe. The anchors held and the situation was stabilized before the ship proceeded to its berth.
DMAIB found that the bow-thruster malfunction was caused by faulty thermistor protection on one phase of the thruster motor. It also emphasized the narrow safety margin for large ships manoeuvring near the bridge in an easterly current. The report records damage to the ship, bridge, and railway but does not state casualty counts.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|---|
| 2014-04-13 02:50 local time | KARLA C departed Amsterdam in ballast. |
| 2014-04-13, approximately 30 minutes after departure | The bow thruster shut down because of overheating; the crew and company began troubleshooting. |
| 2014-04-13 13:36 local time | The Kiel Canal pilot left the ship as it proceeded toward Vordingborg. |
| 2014-04-13 21:55 local time | The Vordingborg pilot boarded at Bredegrund Pilot Station. |
| 2014-04-13, during the approach | The pilot and master changed the manoeuvre so the ship would turn around and berth with its bow into the wind and current. |
| 2014-04-13, during the turn | The bow thruster overheated, malfunctioned, and stopped. |
| 2014-04-13 22:47 local time | KARLA C allided with bridge pillar no. 2 and then the western duc d'albe. |
| 2014-04-13, shortly after the allision | The anchors held, the ship was stabilized, and KARLA C proceeded to berth. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Bow-thruster malfunction | Confirmed finding | DMAIB found that faulty thermistor protection on one phase of the thruster motor caused the thruster to stop. |
| Reliance on the bow thruster in a constrained manoeuvre | Confirmed finding | The ship's size and limited clearance ahead and astern meant that propulsion and rudder could not turn the vessel out of the developing situation quickly enough. |
| Environmental set and changed approach | Confirmed finding | The approach was changed because of the wind and easterly current, which increased toward the narrowing bridge channel. |
| Delayed anchor release | Confirmed finding | The forecastle crew required confirmation of the emergency order and had to remove the riding chock and release the brake before dropping the starboard anchor. |
| Narrow safety margin | Confirmed finding | With the bridge approximately 200-300 m away and the current at 1.5-2.5 knots, DMAIB estimated only about 4-6 minutes were available to avoid or limit the allision. |
Investigation
The Danish Maritime Accident Investigation Board investigated the casualty and issued its summary report on 4 December 2014. The report identifies the bow-thruster fault, the constrained manoeuvre, the environmental set, and the delayed anchor release in its analysis of how the situation became uncontrollable. It also records the resulting ship, bridge, and railway damage.
References
- DMAIB report page: KARLA C allision on 13 April 2014
- DMAIB summary report PDF: KARLA C
- Source note: DMAIB KARLA C summary report