300m Ship hits ship in Bremerhaven 1 gantry is damaged serious

[Peter S. aus N]

today hits a 300m long containership another which was laying on the kai for unloading. There where heavy winds. The 300m ship had assistance from tugs. The crash was so heavy that a gantry crane jumps out of the guide track. The authorities fear that he tumbles down. The police etimates an over 1 million euro injury.
No person is injured. Both ships are only less damaged.
sorry only in German

http://www.ndr.de/regional/niedersachsen/oldenburg/bruecke537.html
http://www.radiobremen.de/politik/nachrichten/millionenschaden-in-bremerhaven100.html

Peter- Xylad

[Captain Ted]

Interesting
the police says a investigation against the Captain ("Schiffuehrer") in the article. But no mention anything about a investigation against the pilot, which was surely aboard or the tugs which assisted or the harbor (berthing) master of the terminal who seemingly must have approved the berthing attempt, also as stated: stormy and rough weather conditions,,
QUESTION: Was the only consideration money !!!??? i.e. berth the ship we loose time and money and now where it went wrong,, Lets blame collectively the Captain ?

[ChasB46]

Only in transit of the Panama Canal does the pilot have the full responsibility for the navigation of the vessel. The Captain (Master) always has command of the ship and thus has ultimate responsibility for the safety of the ship, its cargo and crew, even if pilot on board.

[Captain Ted]

Chas
thanks for informing me,,wouldn,t know that after now 30 years as Master.
Your comment tells me that you have no big insight in shipping business.
Just picture following
A ship comes to port, a pilot comes,, orders tugs and tells a Capt who never was in that port,, no problem,,what you think a Capt does, telling the pilot,,no ,,we go anchor and wait
Next thing the Master know that a new Master is on the way to the ship and he can pack

[Fergal Clohessy]

I remember an incident a few years back where the Pilot hit the lock gate while entering port. considerable damage was done to the lock gate and some on the ship. The Captain was ultimately responsible and his owners paid many thousands to repair the damage to the lock and for divers. Pilot disembarked, no questions asked, no liability whatsoever.

I feel your comment to Chas was a little bit unfair

[ChasB46]

Captain Ted, with respect you have no idea of my maritime qualifications and I would suggest the following from "International Law of the Shipmaster" ... section 3.2 "Authority in Law of the Shipmaster" ... The master has absolute power and responsibility regarding the direction of the vessel. He personally cons the ship in and out of ports,harbours, canals and rivers. The authority and liability of the master remain whole even when the vessel is under the control of a pilot, even if the presence of the pilot is compulsory.
If he has clear grounds that the pilot may jeopardise the safety of navigation, he can relieve him from his duties and ask for another pilot or, if not compulsory to have a pilot on board, navigate the vessel without one. Only in transit of the Panama Canal does the pilot have the full responsibility for the navigation of the vessel.

[brimar]

Yes I agree with Fegal that Capt Ted's sarcastic comment towards ChasB46 was completly uncalled for and unfair,and yes we are all fully aware that Capt Ted has been Master for over 30 years . . . we are frequently reminded of it.

[manzanares]

Yes I agree with Fegal that Capt Ted's sarcastic comment towards ChasB46 was completly uncalled for and unfair,and yes we are all fully aware that Capt Ted has been Master for over 30 years . . . we are frequently reminded of it.

Only 30 years, I thought it was at least 60 years

[Federico]

I'm a pilot and I can say that nowadays if a manouvre is performed in bad weather and there is any damage resulting from a failure I'm completely responsible with the Captain of the ship. I mean, if the manouvre is at the limits and is going wrong, the Court will take me responsible to have put the ship and the crew and/or passengers at risk.
I just found for case this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w5L69D70oY This was a manouvre not to try! Too much riskious, considering that in that point the ship was going in the river stream of Emden. But what nobody knows is how many phone calls from the terminals representatives were received at the pilot station!
Unfortunately managers don't realize that sometimes there is no way to take alongside some vessels, or maybe they see smaller ships alongside and they think that their ship is not taken at berth for some strange or bizarre reason! They start to complain with the Port Authorities and they say to go in other ports ect ect...
Could You imagine if the so famous liberalization of the pilotage service could go in force specially in short period? It is normal that private pilots could act only looking the commercial point of view of their principals!

[Alan Green]

A bit more information courtesy of gcaptain:

The captain of the 8,700 teu containership Maersk Laberinto is likely feeling a bit humble today after a gust of wind allegedly caused his ship to lose manoeuvrability and ram into the docked Maersk Missouri as well as three containership cranes at the port of Bremerhaven this weekend.  According to local police, tugs were being and that only superficial damages resulted to the containerships.

The Bremen police report that the three cranes were not so lucky.  The three were damaged, one of them so severely that it was in danger of collapsing. No one was injured however damages are estimated at several million euros.

The Maersk Laberinto has been cleared to depart Bremerhaven following the payment of EUR 10,000 which was arranged as a security deposit for damages.

[Captain Ted]

@Frederico

Good points you bring up, special the "pressure" situation. It is in the end all about money and keeping your job. Take the risk and 99 out of 100 times it works,,but that one time not you are within minutes a reckless pilot and/or captain.
The peoples who really creating the situations are seldom talked off afterwards and
for sure bringing then statements how carefull they evaluated,, blablabla

brgds
capt ted

[Homer]

@Frederico

Good points you bring up, special the "pressure" situation. It is in the end all about money and keeping your job. Take the risk and 99 out of 100 times it works,,but that one time not you are within minutes a reckless pilot and/or captain.
The peoples who really creating the situations are seldom talked off afterwards and
for sure bringing then statements how carefull they evaluated,, blablabla

brgds
capt ted

How true ......

[B.Clark]

@Frederico

Good points you bring up, special the "pressure" situation. It is in the end all about money and keeping your job. Take the risk and 99 out of 100 times it works,,but that one time not you are within minutes a reckless pilot and/or captain.
The peoples who really creating the situations are seldom talked off afterwards and
for sure bringing then statements how carefull they evaluated,, blablabla

brgds
capt ted

How true ......

'twas ever thus