C13/​2002M ms KA­JEN, Ground­ing in Ruotsin­salmi, off Port of Kotka, on 18.3.2002

17.11.2003

The German cargo vessel ms KAJEN left Emden harbour on March 14, 2002 at 14:06. Draught was 4.5 m fore and 5.2 m aft. The vessel had cargo of pulp. The destination in Finland was Halla port in Kotka. The vessel was owned by a German Shipping Company Jan Nagel Schiffahrts KG.

KAJEN run aground on March 18, 2002 at 01:30 when turning into the Ruotsinsalmi fairway. The primary cause of the accident was the ice condition. Fast ice floes had drifted to the fairway and ice floes had frozen together. When the vessel was turning into the fairway she steered strongly out of the fairway while hitting the ice floes. The turn could not be controlled with opposite helm and it was too late to stop her. KAJEN run aground at very slow speed with engines full astern.

The accident revealed deficiencies with the working habits between the pilot and the officers. This repeats from accident to accident. The unofficial working habits have a silent approval of seafarers, authority and ship owners. According to the opinion of the accident investigation the current customary working practices have diverged from the aim of the regulations.

The bridge personnel followed the common working practices. According to these they have acted correctly. Working habits have arisen from the circumstances and from the pressure created by economical pressures. These practices have become permanent and the seafarers can not correct these by themselves anymore. For this reason the investigation repeats the recommendation of TRAVEBERG to set up a working group for pilotage practices in general.