Classification
- Incident Type: Grounded
- Severity: High
The Gibraltar Maritime Administration identified machinery condition, anchorage and emergency-towing arrangements, company interference, and limited east-side monitoring as contributing factors.
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | Fedra |
| Vessel Type | Bulk carrier |
| Flag State | Liberia [LR] |
| IMO Number | 8208713 |
| Call Sign | A8JD9 |
| Gross Tonnage | 35886 |
| LOA (m) | |
| Breadth (m) | |
| Power (kW) | 9685 |
| Owner/Operator | Fedra Navigation SA; Dilek Transport Inc. |
| TEU | |
| Year Built | 1984 |
| Crew Size | 28 |
| Other persons on board | 3 company/audit personnel |
| Cargo | In ballast |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | 2008-10-10 |
| Location | Europa Point, Gibraltar |
| Coordinates | 36.1092, -5.3430 |
| Region | Gibraltar |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | |
| Missing | |
| Cargo Loss | |
| Direct Damage | |
| Economic Damage | |
| Insured Loss | |
| Salvage/Cleanup Cost |
Key facts
- Fedra was a 35,886 GT Liberian bulk carrier, in ballast after discharging cargo at El Ferrol. The report records 28 crew and three Greek company/audit personnel on board.
- The vessel's main engine was not operational while a cylinder liner was being replaced. On 10 October 2008, severe easterly weather caused Fedra to drag its anchors toward Europa Point.
- The Gibraltar Maritime Administration's report records grounding at about 17:36 UTC at 36°06.55′N, 005°20.58′W. It records no fatalities and no serious injuries.
- A Warrior towline parted, and the Master did not secure assistance offered by the larger Spanish tug Clara Campoamor while waiting for the company-selected Med Fos. Fedra grounded stern-first and broke up against the cliffs.
- Heavy fuel oil polluted the Gibraltar and Spanish coastlines. Fedra was declared a constructive total loss; the accommodation and aft section were cut up in place, and the remainder was refloated on 31 December 2008 and scrapped.
Narrative
After discharging cargo at El Ferrol, Fedra proceeded in ballast to Gibraltar and anchored on the east side on 9 October 2008 to receive spares and repair its main engine. The repair required the engine to remain disabled for at least 12 hours. The Gibraltar Maritime Administration report records that the weather forecast called for easterly force 8 to 9 winds, severe gusts, and very rough seas, but no tug was arranged to stand by.
On 10 October, the vessel's anchors began to drag while the cylinder-liner repair remained incomplete. The Master first contacted the company and later made an emergency call to the Gibraltar Port Authority. Warrior arrived and passed an emergency towline, but the line parted at 10:55 as the vessels rolled and pitched in the swell. The Spanish tug Clara Campoamor arrived and offered assistance. The report states that the Master, following company instructions, rejected the offered line and waited for Med Fos, the company-selected tug. Med Fos could not safely approach in the worsening conditions. Other tugs, including VB Artico, were dispatched, but the vessel continued drifting toward Europa Point.
At about 17:36 UTC, Fedra grounded stern-first at 36°06.55′N, 005°20.58′W and turned parallel to the cliffs. Severe conditions prevented the use of lifeboats and life rafts. Some people were lifted off by helicopter, and the remainder were removed by a mobile crane from the cliffs on 11 October. The investigation records no fatalities and no serious injuries among the 28 crew and three other persons on board.
Fuel oil released from the wreck affected the Gibraltar and Spanish coastlines and required a Tier III pollution response. Fedra was declared a constructive total loss. The accommodation block and aft section were cut up in place; the remainder was refloated on 31 December 2008 and subsequently broken up for scrap in Gibraltar.
The Gibraltar Maritime Administration identified the main-engine condition and maintenance, the decision to undertake repairs at an exposed anchorage, delayed disclosure of the engine's true status, interference with the Master's overriding authority, the lack of an emergency towing plan, limited availability of suitable salvage vessels, and limited monitoring of the eastern anchorage as contributing factors.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|---|
| 2008-10-09 12:43 UTC | Fedra arrived in the Strait of Gibraltar and proceeded to the east side. |
| 2008-10-09 14:45 UTC | The Master anchored approximately two miles east of Gibraltar to undertake engine repairs. |
| 2008-10-10 about 07:37 UTC | The Master added cable and let go the starboard anchor as the weather deteriorated and Fedra began to drag. |
| 2008-10-10 08:39 UTC | The Master made an emergency call to the Gibraltar Port Authority for urgent tug assistance. |
| 2008-10-10 09:09-10:55 UTC | Warrior passed a towline, reduced the drift temporarily, and lost the line when it parted in the swell. |
| 2008-10-10 10:50-13:38 UTC | Clara Campoamor offered assistance, but the offered lines were not secured; Fedra waited for Med Fos while other tugs were dispatched. |
| 2008-10-10 17:36 UTC | Fedra grounded stern-first at Europa Point and turned beam-on to the sea. |
| 2008-10-11 | The remaining people on board were removed by crane from the cliffs. |
| 2008-12-31 | The remainder of the wreck was refloated; the vessel was later scrapped. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Main-engine condition and maintenance | Confirmed finding | The report identified the condition of the main engine, maintenance standards, and lack of spares as contributing factors. |
| Repairs at an exposed anchorage without tug standby | Confirmed finding | The company chose to repair the disabled main engine at the eastern anchorage despite deteriorating weather, and no tug was arranged to remain on standby. |
| Delayed disclosure and emergency notification | Confirmed finding | The Master did not initially tell the Gibraltar Port Authority the true status of the main engine and made the urgent emergency call about two hours after the vessel began dragging. |
| Company interference with salvage decisions | Confirmed finding | The investigation found that company instructions led the Master to reject assistance from Clara Campoamor and wait for Med Fos, reducing the opportunity to prevent grounding. |
| Inadequate towing and monitoring arrangements | Confirmed finding | Fedra had no emergency towing plan, Gibraltar lacked a suitable tug or ETV under direct Captain of the Port control, and east-side vessel monitoring was limited. |
Investigation
The Gibraltar Maritime Administration report on the grounding of Fedra was prepared under the Gibraltar Shipping (Accident Reporting & Investigation) Regulations 2006. It used VDR data, witness interviews, and recovered documents, while noting that some records were lost. The report concluded that Fedra grounded because its main engine was not operational during severe weather and identified the machinery, management, towing, and monitoring factors listed above.
References
- Gibraltar Maritime Administration: Report on the investigation of the grounding of MV Fedra
- Government of Gibraltar: MV Fedra grounds at Europa Point
- ITOPF: Gibraltar pollution response information