The Empire: Crew Feedback and Vessel Data

On August 9, 2020, a tragic incident unfolded involving a crew member aboard the vessel 'Empire', which was anchored in Kiel during its journey from Rauma to Hamburg. Around 1:30 PM, a Dutch crew member decided to take a dip in the water along with a companion, but only the latter resurfaced. This prompted an extensive search and rescue operation, deploying the lifeboat 'Berlin' from DGzRS Laboe, Northern Helicopter, and assistive Federal Police vessels including the 'Eschwege', along with various pilot and police boats. Despite the rapid response, it was not until 3:30 PM that divers recovered the crew member's body from the depths of the Kiel Fjord. Tragically, resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, leading to the transfer of the deceased to Forensic Medicine for further examination. Following the incident, the 'Empire' was required to dock at Nort Port in Kiel at 11 PM for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this unfortunate event. After concluding necessary procedures, the ship resumed its journey, departing on August 10 at 5:10 PM and arriving at the Container Terminal in Hamburg at 8:40 PM.

In a maritime incident that took place on January 16, 2019, the vessel 'Empire' suffered an allision when it collided with the southern lock wall of the Kiel Canal in Brunsbüttel. The ship was en route from Hamburg to Gdynia at approximately 3 a.m. local time when the event occurred. Following the allision, officials conducted an investigation within the lock area. At 4:45 a.m., the Empire was cleared to resume her journey eastward through the canal towards Gdynia. After successfully navigating through the canal, the vessel anchored off the port at 3:50 p.m. on January 17, at geographical coordinates 54° 31.21' N, 018° 38.56' E. The ship remained at anchor on January 18, awaiting entry into the port.

In the early hours of March 19, 2016, a collision occurred between two cargo vessels, the 'Paula Anna' and the 'Empire', on the Kiel Canal near Breiholz, just west of Rendsburg. The 'Empire', en route from Bremerhaven to Gdansk, had previously halted at 11:30 PM on March 18 to allow the passage of another vessel, the 'Empire', which was making its way from Pörnu to St. Nazaire. In a scenario complicated by thick fog, the 'Paula Anna' unexpectedly collided with the bow of the 'Empire' under still unclear circumstances. Despite sustaining notable damage, the 'Paula Anna' managed to proceed to Brunsbüttel, docking at around 5 AM. Meanwhile, the 'Empire' was directed to the Voithkai in Kiel for damage assessment, where it was found to have only minor damage to the starboard foreship. After an inspection, the 'Empire' was permitted to resume its journey at 11:30 AM. The 'Paula Anna', despite having significant damage to its accommodation block, set sail again at approximately 5 PM. This incident highlights the ongoing navigational challenges faced in busy shipping lanes, particularly under adverse weather conditions. For more details, visit the German report featuring a photo of the incident: http://forum-schiff.de/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=23&p=124264#p124264 or http://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/schleswig-holstein/Kollision-zwischen-Frachtschiffen-auf-NOK-,kollision188.html.