December 2007.pdf - Nautilus NL

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20 ✪ ●Nautilus UK Telegraph ●✪ DECEMBER 2007Loss adjustmentmaritime safetyNEW research has come upwith revised theories aboutthe 1994 Estonia ferrydisaster — Europe’s worstpost-war shipping loss...KEY findings of the investigation into the Estonia ferry disaster arebeing questioned by new research being carried out by experts inScotland, Sweden and the Netherlands.When the Estonian-flagged ro-ro sank in the Baltic en route fromTallinn to Stockholm on 28 September 1994, 852 of the 989 peopleonboard lost their lives. It remains Europe’s worst shipping disastersince world war two.Controversy over the causes of the incident continues to this day,and the findings of the original investigation — carried out by the JointAccident Investigation Commission of Estonia, Finland and Sweden(JAIC) — have come in for severe criticism.According to the Swedish research organisation SSPA, a broadspectrum of parties have alleged an ‘apparent lack of objectivity of thecommission in examining and openly discussing alternative opinionson many aspects of the loss’.The JAIC’s account of the disaster concluded that the Estonia’sstern visor separated from the bow due to heavy wave loads. The rampwas pulled fully open, allowing large amounts of water to enter thecar deck, and the ship very rapidly listed heavily to starboard, thenturned to port and slowed down. The four main engines stopped andthe ship drifted, the starboard list increased and water began enteringthe accommodation decks.However, the JAIC report has been questioned on a number ofcounts and in March 2006 the Swedish government awarded a grant toan SSPA-led consortium to launch a new three-year investigation. TheMany seafarers we note are under the illusion that to qualify for the 100%foreign earnings deduction, all they have to do is spend 183 days out ofthe country on foreign going voyages.Many have found to their cost, when investigated by the Revenue that it isnot that straightforward and of course it is then too late to rectify.Make sure you are not one of them by letting Seatax Ltd plan your futureclaim step by step.Can you afford not to join Seatax?Seatax offers advice on all aspects of Personal Taxation with special emphasis on:★ All aspects of self assessment★ 100% Claims★ Non Resident Claims★ Completion of Income Tax returns★ A full Tax service for Mariners’ spouses, starting from £25★ Now including online filing for speedier settlementOUR FEES ARE AS FOLLOWS:Annual Return £142.98 + £25.02 VAT .........................................................................................................£168.00No commission charged on refunds gained.NAUTILUS UK members sailing under a foreign flag agreement on gross remuneration can obtain a 10% reduction onthe above enrolment fee by quoting their NAUTILUS UK membership number and a 5% reduction on re-enrolment.Write, orphone nowfor moredetails:other consortium members are Safety at Sea Ltd, in association withthe Ship Stability Research Centre (SSRC) at Glasgow and Strathclydeuniversities, the Netherlands’ Maritime Research Institute, and theGöteborg-based Chalmers University of Technology.The consortium’s final conclusions will be reported in March 2008,but the research has already generated fresh insights. Earlier this year,an SSPA newsletter claimed that the foundering started about 10 minutesearlier than described by JAIC and the initial water inflow to thecar deck was determined by model tests to be about three to four timeshigher than indicated.Elgin House, 83 Thorne Road, Doncaster DN1 2ES.Tel: (01302) 364673 - Fax No: (01302) 738526 - E-mail: info@seatax.ltd.ukwww.seatax.ltd.ukABOVE: the ro-ro ferry Estonia before the 1994 loss in the Baltic; INSET: a scene from the simulated revised loss scenario, showing the vessel upside down MAIN PICTURE: REUTERSThe researchers also suggested that a stable condition, at about 45degrees heel angle, could be reached if the bow is completely open andwater stays on the car deck.Now, a new consortium research paper posits the possibility thatthe Estonia may have completely overturned rather than sinking bythe stern. Authors Andrzej Jasionowski, of Safety at Sea, and SSRCdirector Professor Drascos Vassalos acknowledge that the capsizing ofthe Estonia is ‘one of the more puzzling elements’ of the loss.Their paper explains that interpretation of the survivors’ statementsleads to the perception that the capsizing process (heeling beyond 40degrees) took a ‘considerable time’. For such prolonged capsizing tomaterialise, the paper says it can be inferred that ‘the process of fillingthe superstructure spaces by water must have delayed the capsizingprocess, and hence it took rather longer time than intuitivelyexpected’.Consortium researchers therefore put considerable effort into verifying,by means of model tank tests, how fast these spaces could flood.According to the results from these simulations, the research paperreports, the capsize took no more than two to three minutes with allthe windows assumed broken. Compensating for some simplificationsin the model, it is suggested that according to prediction it took somethree to four minutes.This, the paper says, ‘would imply that mv Estonia has de-factofloated upside down’, and the authors believe survivors’ accounts canbe interpreted as possibly backing this up.Thirty survivors claim that the Estonia sank by the stern. However,nine survivors said they saw the ferry sinking by the bow. The researcherssuggest that ‘there is no contradiction in these statements and thatall of them saw the vessel in an upside down condition’.Other preliminary conclusions include the scenario that the Estoniaheeled because of an inflow of some 2,500 cu m of water on the cardeck and the casing on the car deck became submerged to some 5mwater head pressure — as a result of which some doors collapsed andallowed the spaces below the car deck to flood.Mr Jasionowski told the Telegraph that the new research does notnecessarily prove that the JAIC investigation’s conclusions are suspect.‘We have never tried to commit to any firm conclusions yet,’ heexplained. ‘We simply let our findings at every stage be known, so wecan receive feedback.’Mr Jasionowski also said he did not wish to speculate about the JAICreport’s apparent or actual lack of objectivity. ‘I think the importantpoint is that the JAIC study was not sufficiently thorough in explainingthe key loss mechanisms — where and how water flooded the ship— which in turn triggers many questions of the initiating causes andpossibly other initiating events prior to the loss,’ he added. ‘Hence themany speculations, conspiracy theories, etc.’Mr Jasionowski thought the consortium should be in a position toadvance firm conclusions on the latest Estonia research by February,and he commented: ‘The key beneficiaries of the study, when accomplished,will be all of us — the professional community, families ofthose affected, society at large. The knowledge on the loss will haveprogressed beyond what was known two years ago.’
DECEMBER 2007 ✪ ●Nautilus UK Telegraph ●✪ 21Engineer officers Phil Dick and Dave Smithmembers at workTRINITY House showed off itsmulti-function vessel Galateaduring a royal naming ceremonyin the Pool of LondonCaptain John MallettLight workTHERE WAS a right royal welcomefor the new Trinity Houselight tender Galatea during a visitto the Pool of London in October.Moored alongside the secondworld war veteran HMS Belfast,the Polish-built vessel was namedby HM The Queen in a ceremonypresided over by The Duke ofEdinburgh, who is the Master ofTrinity House.Accompanied by DeputyMaster Jeremy de Halpert, theQueen and Prince Philip metcrew members — including thetwo masters of the vessel, CaptainsSimon Robinson and John Mallett— as well as members of the buildteam and staff from TrinityHouse.Galatea — the second TrinityHouse vessel to bear the name —was also blessed by the Bishop ofLondon, the Rt Revd RichardChartres. Rear Admiral deHalpert described the event as ‘avery exciting and historic day forTrinity House’.Galatea is a multi-functiontender (MFT), designed and builtto support the work of TrinityHouse and the general lighthouseauthorities in providing navigationalaids around the UK.Built to replace the THVMermaid, Galatea’s key functionsinclude maintenance work, buoydeployment, wreck finding andlocation marking, and hydrographicsurveying.Trinity House offers the vesselfor contract commercial work,supporting such projects asresearch work, sea trials of specialistequipment, and guard shipduties.First officer Bill Sadler demonstratesGalatea’s surveying equipmentGalatea’s masters, Captains John Mallett and Simon Robinson, meet HM The Queenand The Duke of Edinburgh at the vessel’s naming ceremonySince arrival in the home portof Harwich in July, Galatea hasbeen involved in a wide range ofactivities — including surveywork off the NE coast and supportingwork to modernise theCasquets Lighthouse.Galatea was also used in a surveyof the wreck of the GermanU-boat UB38, which lies at adepth of 23m south of the VarneBank. There are fears that thewreck is posing an increased riskto shipping as a result of growthin deep draft tanker transits ofthe SW-bound lane of the DoverStrait TSS. As a result of the survey,Trinity House has decidedthat the wreck needs to be relocatedinto deeper water — anoperation that is set to take placenext spring.Capt Mallett said Galatea —which is equipped with a doubleredundancy dynamic positioningsystem — is extremely manoeuvrable.‘DP is a big step forwardfor us,’ he added.The 3,659gt vessel is also fittedwith a sophisticated integratedbridge managementsystem and features an anti-heelingsystem that is said to be capableof reducing roll by up to60%.First officer Bill Sadler saidthe Galatea’s multibeam and sidescan surveying equipment andassociated processing systemsenable the vessel to providedetailed and extensive data.Navigation manager RogerBarker says the systems alsoresult in survey work being muchfaster.Galatea is powered by threeWartsila 8L20 and two Wartsila4L20 main engines, developing atotal of 5.6mW. The ship has twoazimuth propellers, two bowthrusters, a service speed of 13knots, a bollard pull of 33 tonnes,and an endurance of 35 days.Chief engineer Phil Dick saidthat continuous and remotemonitoring of the ship’s machineryhas replaced the traditionalsystem of planned maintenance.Built as part of a £38m investmentin new tonnage by the threegeneral lighthouse authorities,Galatea features a large aft openclear working deck and a helicopterlanding area forward.Rear Admiral de Halpert saysGalatea’s multi-functional natureMN RATING?go full aheadfor careerdevelopmentSlater Fund can provideup to £10,000 to helpyou on the wayThe JW Slater Fund,administered byNautilus UK, offersawards of up to £10,000to help ratings studyfor a first certificate ofcompetency.Over the past decadealone, Slater Fundawards have been givento nearly 500 individualsand the value ofsupport available hasquadrupled over thepast 10 years.Named in honour offormer MNAOA generalsecretary John Slater,opens the door to deployment inall sorts of areas — with thepotential to offer significant supportto the civil hydrography programme.And, he told the Telegraph,the lighthouse authorities willneed to reassess their fleet operationsin the light of the full entryinto service of Galatea and theother new vessels.‘We want to take stock nextyear,’ he explained. ‘The questionis, are six ships around the BritishIsles enough, too many or justright?’Whatever the outcome,Admiral de Halpert is confidentthere will be a continuing strongdemand for the sort of servicesthat Galatea and the other GLAvessels provide. ‘The maritimeworld does not change thatquickly, and factors such asdeeper and faster vessels makeour job no less important,’ headded. ‘The Thames estuary andthe east coast have the fastestchanging seabed in the world,and moving the signposts to keepup with that will keep this shipemployed for the next 20 years.’the awards are made toselected UK-residentratings aged 20 or over.The money can be usedtowards the costs of anynecessary full- orpart-time education,and to provide somefinancial support duringcollege phases for thoseoff pay.Nautilus UK is nowinviting applications forthe 2008 awards.If you want to make thenext move, don’t leavethings to chance — fill inthe form on the right…The multi-function tender Galatea moored beside HMS Belfast in the Pool of LondonCOMPLETE THIS FORMAND SEND IT TO:The Marine Society& Sea Cadets202 Lambeth RoadLondon SE1 7JWTo arrive no later than31 December 2007I am over 20 years ofage and a ratingnormally resident inthe United KingdomPlease send medetails of theJohn Slater AwardEmail toCaptain Ian Smith at:ismith@ms-sc.orgName:____________________________________Address:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Email:________________________________________________________________________500
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