Crew Reviews, Ratings & Info for Granville

An investigation into the May 13, 2018 accident involving the ferry 'Granville' has revealed that a malfunctioning computer-processing unit led to the vessel colliding with a moored yacht and a pontoon. As the 'Granville' approached the port at a speed of seven knots after departing from Sark, the captain, aged 58, attempted to switch control to the port-side wing controls located on the outer deck for the berthing maneuver alongside the Albert Pier. However, upon trying to reverse the ship, he noticed that the indicator lights confirming the control switch had not activated. In a swift response, the captain called out to the staff captain, who was stationed at the interior controls, but they were unable to react in time. Subsequently, the 'Granville,' moving at approximately three knots, struck the ten-meter sailing yacht 'Shamu' and the adjacent pontoon. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported aboard either vessel. Nonetheless, the accident resulted in significant damage to 'Shamu,' impacting its exterior, wind turbine mast, deck, deck ladder, and handrail. The skipper of 'Shamu,' who was present inside the yacht during the incident, shared his unsettling experience in the report. He recalled hearing urgent shouts for the vessel to go astern, followed by a sense of panic. As he felt the weight of the ferry shift on 'Shamu’s' stern, he looked out the port forward bow window and spotted the ferry's anchor looming dangerously close. Following the accident, the Ports of Jersey conducted a thorough review, concluding that the ferry's speed and the handling of the control transfer were contributing factors. They recommended initiating the control transfer procedure earlier to accommodate any potential system failures in the future. Ultimately, it was determined that the computer-processing unit was at fault for the incident, leading to its replacement. Remarkably, the control system experienced another failure later that year while in Sark, prompting the 'Granville' to be taken out of service for repairs.

In a dramatic rescue operation on July 10, 2012, the fast ferry 'Bornholm Express' answered a distress signal from the German yacht 'Kallisto' at approximately 6:48 a.m. The vessel was en route from Allinge to Simrishamn when it received the urgent call for help from the sinking yacht, which had nine crew members on board. The 'Kallisto' had sustained severe rudder damage that led to a dangerous leak. Promptly, the 'Bornholm Express' arrived on the scene, standing by until the lifeboat 'Mads Jakobsen' could reach the location to safely evacuate the sailors. Tragically, at 8:40 a.m., the 50-foot Race2Win class yacht 'Kallisto' succumbed to the ocean at Davids Bank, about 5 to 6 miles northeast of Bornholm. The race participants were part of the annual Bornholm Rund Regatta, facing challenging sea conditions with winds reaching 10-14 m/s and wave heights of 4-5 meters. After their rescue, the sailors were taken to Rønne and provided shelter at a local hostel. For more details and photos on this remarkable event, please visit the Danish news outlets: http://www.tv2bornholm.dk/?newsID=63531, http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Indland/2012/07/10/073559.htm?wbc_purpose=%2BWAITFOR%2BDELAY%2B00%3A00%3A20%2B--, and http://www.tv2bornholm.dk/?newsID=63530.