Master of Explorer blamed for Antarctic sinking

A Liberian report into the sinking of the small expedition cruise ship Explorer in the Antarctic in November 2007 has concluded that the primary cause of the accident was a misunderstanding by the Master over the nature of the ice in the area. An investigation by the Liberian Registry, in conjunction with the Chilean Navy, concluded that the Master entered the ice field under the mistaken impression that he was encountering ‘first year’ ice when in fact it was much harder land ice. 

The Liberian report said that the Master of Explorer had considerable experience of Baltic waters but that he was ‘unfamiliar’ with the type of ice he had encountered in Antarctic waters. ‘The Master should have altered course to open water and not have entered the ice field during darkness,’ the Liberian Register said. It further stated that once the ship entered the ice field, there was ‘no indication’ that the Master reduced speed as he approached, and made contact, with the wall of ice. 

The Liberian Register is to undertake another review to ascertain whether IMO guidelines for vessels operating in the Arctic and Antarctic – and minimum safe manning, float-free and quick release voyage recorder data installation – should be made mandatory.

The report recommends that the vessel’s class society, DNV, revises minimum requirements for deck and shell plating for ice class vessels. The Liberian Register also advises DNV surveyors to ‘review flooding boundaries to determine if vessel systems and components such as sewage systems and down-flooding ducts can compromise the vessel’s watertight boundary in the event of damage or flooding.’

The Liberian administration has been advised to raise the issue of competency training for ice navigation at the IMO. Sphere: Related Content