Container vessel collision on the Elbe leads to tragic casualty

The Marine Department of the Government of Hong Kong has issued a note drawing attention to shipowners, ship managers, ship operators, masters, officers, and crew to the lessons learned from the fatal accident on the river Elbe.

The Incident

A Hong Kong-registered container vessel (vessel A) collided with a smaller vessel (vessel B) on the river Elbe while heading to Hamburg.

Vessel A overtook vessel B, which lost steerability due to hydrodynamic interactions, causing a collision.

The collision caused vessel B to develop a starboard list of 30° to 40°, leading to an unsecured container on deck and a crew member, involved in securing the containers, falling into the water.

Sadly, the missing crew member was discovered lifeless after being retrieved from the water an hour later.

The investigation revealed that:

• (a) Vessel A failed to signal overtaking intentions and secure agreement from vessel B, violating COLREGS Rule 9;
• (b) Vessel B neglected crew safety during unlashing, leading to the crew member's fall and container loss, breaching SOLAS Regulation VI/5.

Lessons Learned

• (a) Navigational watch officers must follow COLREGS Rule 9 for overtaking in narrow channels;
• (b) All ships should adhere to SOLAS Regulation VI/5 to secure cargo and prevent hazards;
• (c) Ship management must enforce Safety Management Systems, enhance crew training, and promote safety awareness.

This note was released on 16 November 2023.

For more information, please see the document below (available only to subscribers):

Collision Between Two Container Vessels while Overtaking on River Elbe