This incident summary is based on findings from the Bundesstelle für Seeunfalluntersuchung (BSU) and the Britannia P&I Club case study. It describes the uncontrolled drift of a car carrier following the parting of mooring lines in severe weather, resulting in contact with a pier and floating dock.
What Happened
On 13 March 2021, a car carrier moored at Bremerhaven experienced severe offshore winds gusting up to 50 knots. Despite the Master’s preparations—including additional mooring lines, anchor readiness, and tug request—the mooring lines began parting at around 0945. The head lines failed first, followed by a spring line after a shore bollard cover broke.
The vessel drifted northeast toward a dockyard approximately 120 meters away. Eight minutes later, tugs arrived but were unable to prevent impact. The ship’s bulbous bow struck floating pontoons and subsequently contacted a floating dock, where it became pinned against the quay.
Re-berthing was attempted but unsuccessful until later in the day, when four tugs and pilots assisted the ship to a more sheltered berth.
Why It Happened
The incident occurred primarily due to the poor condition of the mooring lines. Out of fourteen lines deployed, twelve were inadequate and only one stern line was serviceable. These lines failed under loads they should have withstood if properly maintained. The car carrier’s design, with its high freeboard and large windage area, made it especially vulnerable to strong offshore winds while in ballast condition. The mooring arrangement lacked effective breast lines, which could have provided greater holding strength. Although tug assistance had been requested, the eight-minute delay in arrival was critical, as the vessel had already begun drifting. Furthermore, the exposed berth provided little protection from the prevailing wind, and the short distance to the opposite dockyard left very limited time for recovery once the vessel lost control.
Lessons Learned
This case demonstrates that the condition and management of mooring lines are critical to safe operations. Lines must undergo systematic inspection, rotation, and timely replacement in line with manufacturer guidelines and international requirements. At exposed berths, extra precautions such as the use of breast lines and tugs on standby should be mandatory.
Masters and crews should reassess risks for every weather event rather than relying on prior experiences in similar conditions. Close coordination with port authorities is essential to ensure timely tug mobilization when strong winds are forecast. Finally, companies must reinforce a safety culture that treats mooring lines as vital safety equipment, establishing both condition-based inspections and fixed retirement periods to prevent failures.
Conclusions
The root cause of the incident was the defective state of the mooring lines, which were not fit for use. The exposure of the berth to severe weather and the vessel’s susceptibility to wind effects intensified the situation once the first line parted.
While tug assistance was eventually effective in re-berthing the vessel, the delay in their arrival highlighted the importance of immediate availability in adverse conditions. Overall, the event underlined the need for rigorous mooring equipment maintenance, proactive berth risk assessment, and timely coordination with port services.
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Source: BRITANNIA P&I CLUB
