The Herald of Free Enterprise

[Ren Frew]

It was twenty years ago today that the Townsend Thoresen ferry, Herald of Free Enterprise, took on water through it's open bow doors and capsized just outside the port of Zeebrugge.

I remember the accident well and it was particulary poignant as myself and my family were regular travellers with the company, which was later rebranded under it's parent company P&O Ferries.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/d...00/2515923.stm

[Newforest]

Another sad day in the annals of maritime shipwrecks. In more recent times, what happened to the car delivery freighter that turned on its side in the Pacific last year and how is the salvage progressing on the MSC Napoli in the English Channel. How quickly headlines are produced and then fade like a 'candle in the wind'

[airportsexpress]

It's hard to believe that twenty years have passed already, i remember it well they even had the saturday morning kids show 'Saturday Superstore' go live to Zeebrugge which was almost unheard of at the time.

What's hard to believe though looking back and with help from programmes such as 'seconds from disaster' was just how casual the safety culture seemed to be. But i guess it's taken disasters like this and the Kings Cross fire a year later to increase safety in public transport in the UK. Much like the series of trains crashes in the late 90's did for the railways.

[J Boyle]

A year later the Suffolk Police were working on a disaster response plan in case something similar ever happened at Felixstowe.

They came to RAF Bentwaters for help in securing USAF help should the need arise...including using HH-53s from Woodbridge along with other helicopter assets (at the time, not many civil air ambulances or police helicopters were around).
The base disaster response planning staff helped with the plan in several areas.

[Hurrifan]

I remember the sense of disbelief when this happened , its hard to take in that so much time has passed.

Let us hope that the lessons have been learned...properly.

[frankvw]

Lessons learned ? Not all.

That day, the Belgian Airforce Seakings (based at Koksijde, a couple of miles south) were rescuing people.

Today, the same helicopters are still soldiering on, even though they are getting very old and in need of a replacement. The government decided to replace them with the NH-90 (instead of Merlins), which is a SMALLER helicopter. So, if something like that happens again, I'm not sure how they'll evacuate everyone quickly.
Note that the contract hasn't been signed yet, and the delivery is still years away.... Of course 6 bizjets to carry officials around is more important than the only SAR asset, the only squadron providing a real service, on a daily basis, to the population...

[Comet]

I remember that night, it was a Friday and there was a newsflash about the ferry going over just outside Zeebrugge.

Last year we had an afternoon in Zeebrugge and all I could think about was that ferry disaster and all the poor people who had drowned.

You would never get me on one of those things.

[duxfordhawk]

As a child i went to Zeebrugge and Ostend several times and used the Herald of free enterprise the year before she sunk, Can't believe that its 20year ago.
I think at least for Europe lessons were learnt from this accident but sadly these lessons don't seem to have been learnt in other parts of the world and at least one of "Heralds" sister ships have been involved in disasters in other parts of the world.

[Ivan]

Sad that it takes a disaster for safety to be addressed, but I suppose that is the way we learn. I too can't believe its 20 years. Its one of those images etched into the memory, which is why it seems so fresh to us.

[Comet]

Originally Posted by duxfordhawk

As a child i went to Zeebrugge and Ostend several times and used the Herald of free enterprise the year before she sunk, Can't believe that its 20year ago.
I think at least for Europe lessons were learnt from this accident but sadly these lessons don't seem to have been learnt in other parts of the world and at least one of "Heralds" sister ships have been involved in disasters in other parts of the world.

I remember seeing a programme on BBC1 a while ago about the disaster. It said that the German-built ferry had not been fitted with warning lights to show that the bow doors were not closed. If the other ships were built to the same poor standards then I'm not surprised that accidents happened to them. Then there was the idle b*gger who never bothered to check whether the doors were closed properly or not.

On the subject of Oostende, I'm going there on holiday this year (before I've only had day or half day visits from Brugge or Mechelen). I absoluely love the place, it's the nicest coastal town I've been to in Belgium.

[Newforest]

Originally Posted by Newforest

Another sad day in the annals of maritime shipwrecks. In more recent times, what happened to the car delivery freighter that turned on its side in the Pacific last year and how is the salvage progressing on the MSC Napoli in the English Channel. How quickly headlines are produced and then fade like a 'candle in the wind'

For anyone interested in the progress of salvage on the MSC Napoli, you can access the daily progress on the below link. There are now 355 containers remaining on the ship out of a total of 2315.

http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/democr...oli-update.htm

And answering my own question about the Cougar Ace which turned on its side carrying 4700 new Mazdas, the ship was righted and towed to Portland for discharge. Mazda said all the salvageable cars would be sold as used and all the VIN numbers would be published on their website.

http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/11/c...-new-vehicles/

[Pete Truman]

I've had many trips on cross channel ferries before and after this disaster and I've often got down early to the car deck and witnessed the doors being opened before the vessel had stopped.
The worst trip I had was from Portsmouth to Le Havre on a ferry full of vets heading for Normandy in 94. The weather was so rough that we travelled on the top deck in the VIP lounge as my old man thought it was the safest place to be.
On arrival at Le Havre the sea was so rough that we had to be brought in by 2 tugs, even in the harbour, we were up and down like a yo-yo, getting off was not fun, but nothing was opened up till the vessel was well secured.
The person I envied was the bloke in a DUKW.

[Jamie-Southend]

I remember this disaster well, people we knew just two roads away lost their daughter-in-law in the tradgedy. At the time i lived just yards from the Southend Airport Eastern Boundry, as did the family concerned.

The twist in the tail is, within just a couple of months 40ft containers from the wreckage, all rusty and twisted were purchased by a company at SEN and stored on the Eastern Boundry, clearly visable from the main road. I dont know if the family ever knew where they come from.

[Bmused55]

I was almost 7 at the time of the disaster but remember it well.
A girl in my (Service Childrens Education) Primary school class in Germany lost her family in the disaster.
The school did a charity function and raised money for her and surviving relatives.
I can't remember her name anymore or what we did to raise the money, nor do I remember what happened to her. But I'd assume she returned to the UK, seeing as the only reason she was in Germany, was now dead. (Her father would have been in the armed forces.)

But I do remember seeing the ferry on its side in news reports all through the following day. (A saturday if I'm not mistaken).

A tragic accident. But lessons were learned. Some moreso than others.

[richb]

I often wondered what happened to the ship after it was re-floated? - I seem to remember that it was on tow to somewhere like India (was that for scrapping or I hope not - refitting??) and did it break free on route or something??

[Newforest]

The ship was built in Germany in 1980, the accident was in 1987 and the ship was broken up in 1988, location not known.

The interesting report below details the loading problems at Zeebrugge which were a factor in the accident. The bow had to be water ballasted to get the correct height for car loading and when she sailed, she was still bow down and of course the doors were not fully shut.

http://www.unisa.edu.au/corpsocialre...ies/herald.asp

[Jamie-Southend]

Originally Posted by richb

I often wondered what happened to the ship after it was re-floated? - I seem to remember that it was on tow to somewhere like India (was that for scrapping or I hope not - refitting??) and did it break free on route or something??

It was refloated and renamed Flushing Range for its last and final journey to Alang in India, where it was scrapped i gather.

http://www.greenpeaceweb.org/shipbreak/india.asp

The two sister ships Pride & Spirit of Free Enterprise are still opeartional i believe.

Jamie

[Newforest]

Originally Posted by Jamie-Southend

The two sister ships Pride & Spirit of Free Enterprise are still opeartional i believe.

Jamie

That is correct. The Pride is now M/V Oleander operated by Trans Europa Ferries running between Ramsgate and Ostend and the Spirit is now M/V Anthi Marina operated by GA Ferries in Greece.

As of last Thursday, there were still 130 containers on the Napoli. There are warnings not to buy any bottles of vodka from a man in Weymouth as they may be contaminated.

[Newforest]

The news we've all been waiting for! The final container has now been removed from the Napoli which was beached on the 20th January. Discussions are now taking place on the method of disposal for the Napoli. It seems certain to be scrapped in one way or another.

[Ren Frew]

Originally Posted by Newforest

There are warnings not to buy any bottles of vodka from a man in Weymouth as they may be contaminated.

Why would the Napoli be carrying contaminated vodka? Ah yes it's just a smokescreen on the part of HM customs & excise isn't it ?

[Newforest]

Originally Posted by Ren Frew

Why would the Napoli be carrying contaminated vodka? Ah yes it's just a smokescreen on the part of HM customs & excise isn't it ?

Obviously the vodka was not contaminated when it was ON the ship.

The Health Protection Agency has followed up the story that vodka was stolen from a container at Portland Port (as reported in media yesterday). There were concerns that the vodka may be contaminated, and Dorset Police issued a warning urging 'anyone who has bought a bottle of vodka from a man in the Weymouth area not to drink it." The advice from the Salvage Control Unit to the Health Protection Agency is that the vodka has been tested and found in good condition. However, no known vodka has left the site. The containers with the vodka are being loaded onto the MSC Grace.

Contractors are responding to reports of fruit juice cartons washing ashore at Branscombe.

[Denis]

I remember the 'Herald' well. Having sailed on her for several years between Zeebrugge-Dover. I was a continental truck driver from age 21 to 50, retiring from that game just over two years ago.
That evening I was in Hatfield, delivering a load bought over from Hamburg via the 'Herald' the night before. Spent the evening wondering how many of my colleagues would be sailing home on her. As luck would have it, none of our drivers were on her that night, but two drivers I did know were on it, one lived , one died.
The incident never put me off of ferry travel, I am more scared of the freight train under the channel tunnel

[Newforest]

Good news, the Napoli was successfully refloated yeaterday and is being held in the bay pending further inspections.

[BAV_Captain]

before i started on the rubbish i used to sail in and out of zeebrugge every other day for over a year, on our charts we had the spot marked out where she sank as a mark of respect.

[Rogier]

Originally Posted by Comet

Last year we had an afternoon in Zeebrugge and all I could think about was that ferry disaster and all the poor people who had drowned.

Unfortunately it was hypothermia that claimed more lives than drowning and only instantaneous rescue would have saved them.

I have the video recording of the documentary about the disaster if there is any specific questions.

[Rogier]

Originally Posted by Denis

I am more scared of the freight train under the channel tunnel

Because the Chunnel operator ignored safety suggestions suggested by Kent fire brigade? Or?

[Denis]

No, I just cannot abide trains, let alone trains that travel in long tunnels

[BAV_Captain]

The sad thing is if she was 7 meters more left thw whole disaster wouldnt have happend.

Explination:

when a ship passes through the water it forces the water down and to the side (displacement) in the open ocean the affect is incredibly minor, but where zeebrugge is concernd its very shallow, so the water has to go some where so at speed it will ride up then over.

The herald was hiting 15 knots when she started to take on water, the test on her sister showed the problem, lack of secondary water tight door (now mandatory on all ferries as is water tight compartments and barriers.)

The roro concept was taken from the landing ships of WW2 and used to create car ferries, most have very flatish bottoms and can get into waters that are not that deep.

The vessel i served on was a roro frieghter she had a depth of 7 meters a similar ship in size and wieght but not of roro design would be atleast 11 or 12 meters draft.

Dart 8 was a 26,000 tonne roro frieghter herald being only 8,000tonne,

Thankfully the herald sank onto a sand bank if it hadnt then the ship would have completely rolled over and then well sunk with all onboard. (ship of heralds design and size would take less than 10 minuets to sink completely)

Thats why we call them RO RO RO vessels Roll on Roll off Roll over