C12/​2002M ms TRAVE­BERG, Ground­ing in Ruotsin­salmi, off Port of Kotka, on 26.11.2002

27.11.2003

The cargo vessel TRAVEBERG left Halla harbor November 26, 2002 at 02:35 a.m. Halla is situated in eastern Finland close to the port of Kotka. TRAVEBERG run aground 20 minutes after her departure when she was turning into a new fairway leading to the narrow sound of Ruotsinsalmi. She was in ballast and had no cargo. TRAVEBERG sailed under the Gibraltar flag and her owner is Rederei Lutz Jeske from Rendsburg, Germany.

The master and the pilot were alone on the bridge. The visibility was reduced to 150-800 meters by drizzle and fog. The wind was southwest 10 m/s. The turn to the new fairway was delayed both to poor visibility and a poor radar picture.

The investigation turned the attention to the fact that the combination of a reduced manning with ergonomically poor and cheap Non-Follow Up steering system is hazardous. This combination has become generally accepted in pilotage. When the personnel responsible for the pilotage accept this working habit the dangers can not be anticipated. The investigation recommends a check in the working habits.