Loss of propulsion on ro-ro passenger ferry Stena Europe

Location: Off Rosslare, Republic of Ireland.

From:
Marine Accident Investigation Branch
Published
23 January 2015
Vessel type:
Merchant vessel 100 gross tons or over
Report type:
Completed preliminary assessment
Date of occurrence:
30 January 2003

Completed PE Summary: Stena Europe

A short summary of the accident and action taken:

Merchant Vessel/Accident Details
Vessel name Stena Europe
Registered Owner/Manager Stena Line UK Ltd
Port of Registry Fishguard
Flag UK
Type Ro-ro vehicle/passenger ferry
Built 1981
Classification Society Norske Veritas
Construction Steel
Length Overall 149.05m
Gross Tonnage 24828
Date 30/01/2003
Location of Incident Rosslare harbour area
Incident Type Machinery failure
Persons Onboard 155 passengers, 65 crew
Injuries/Fatalities None
Damage/Pollution Minor damage

Synopsis

Cooling water failure resulting in all four main engines stopping, leading to total loss of propulsion.

Action taken

The Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents wrote to Stena Line supporting the actions taken and recommending that their internal inquiry should cover the following issues:

  • The need for redundancy in critical systems

  • Risk assessment of the proximity of vessels to hazards to navigation

  • The need for exercises involving the emergency services of all regions used by the vessel

  • The importance of routine maintenance

The incident was fully investigated by the Marine Casualty Investigation board of Republic of Ireland.

Published 23 January 2015

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