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Accidents

Maersk Emerald (2021)

On 28 May 2021, Maersk Emerald grounded at kilometer 98 in the Suez Canal. In its contemporaneous statement, the Suez Canal Authority said sudden failures in the ship's engines and steering equipment preceded the grounding. It reported that the container ship was in the southbound convoy and that four Authority tugs, led by Baraka 1, refloated it. The ship resumed its transit after its crew repaired the faults and was at the Great Bitter Lakes waiting area for a technical-condition check.

Classification

  • Incident Type: Grounded
  • Severity: Medium

Vessel Details

FieldValue
Vessel NameMaersk Emerald
Vessel TypeContainer
Flag StateSingapore [SG]
IMO Number9502910
LOA (m)

Incident Details

FieldValue
Date2021-05-28
LocationSuez Canal, kilometer 98, Egypt
RegionEgypt
Fatalities
Injuries
Missing

Key facts

  • The Suez Canal Authority reported a grounding after sudden engine and steering-system failures; gCaptain placed the incident at kilometer 98.
  • The vessel was transiting southbound; the Authority said the convoy was diverted through the eastern Deversoir bypass and canal traffic was not affected.
  • Four Authority tugs refloated the vessel; the Authority said the ship resumed its canal transit after its crew repaired the faults.
  • The Authority said the vessel was at the Great Bitter Lakes waiting area for a technical-condition check; Maersk separately said it would remain there while the causes were investigated.

Narrative

On 28 May 2021, Maersk Emerald grounded at kilometer 98 in the Suez Canal. In its contemporaneous statement, the Suez Canal Authority said sudden failures in the ship's engines and steering equipment preceded the grounding. It reported that the container ship was in the southbound convoy and that four Authority tugs, led by Baraka 1, refloated it. The ship resumed its transit after its crew repaired the faults and was at the Great Bitter Lakes waiting area for a technical-condition check.

The Authority said the southbound convoy was rerouted through the eastern Deversoir bypass and canal traffic was not affected. gCaptain, citing Leth Agencies, reported that the ship was fifth in the southbound convoy. gCaptain also quoted Maersk saying the crew were safe and that the vessel would remain in the Great Bitter Lake area while the causes were investigated. No incident-specific technical investigation findings or damage valuation were located.

Sequence of events

Date/timeEvent
2021-05-28The Suez Canal Authority reported engine and steering failures followed by grounding during southbound transit; gCaptain placed the grounding at kilometer 98.
2021-05-28Four Authority tugs refloated the vessel; after its crew repaired the faults, the vessel resumed transit and reached the Great Bitter Lakes waiting area.

Contributing factors

FactorEvidence statusDescription
Engine and steering-system failuresReportedThe Suez Canal Authority said sudden failures in both systems preceded the grounding. It did not publish a technical cause in the contemporaneous notice.

Investigation

Maersk said the vessel would remain at Great Bitter Lake while the causes of the grounding were investigated. The Suez Canal Authority described a technical-condition check there. No final investigation findings were located in the reviewed sources. The Authority's 28 May notice records the response and routing arrangements, rather than a technical determination of why the equipment failed.

References