The Hav-Tuna: Crew Feedback and Vessel Data

In the early hours of February 26, 2020, at precisely 12:53 a.m., the cargo vessel 'Hav Tuna', while navigating towards Szczecin after departing from Gijón, experienced an allision with jetty 1 of the locks in Brunsbüttel, located at the Kiel Canal. As the ship entered the small lock, it was caught by strong currents that pushed it perilously close to the jetty, resulting in the starboard side bow striking two dolphins. Fortunately, there were no reports of damage to the vessel itself. However, the dolphins suffered damage from the impact, prompting an investigation by the water police in Brunsbüttel within the lock area. Following the incident, at 2:30 a.m., 'Hav Tuna' resumed its journey, with an estimated time of arrival in Poland scheduled for 9 a.m. on February 27. This incident highlights the challenges posed by maritime navigation in strong currents, especially in confined waterways.

On November 9, 2018, the vessel 'Kopersand', which was navigating from Humber to Montrose with a crew of seven onboard, encountered minor engine issues while positioned at 56°38'36'' N, 002°27'36'' W at 12:50 PM. The initial report of these engine defects came from Montrose Harbour at 11:30 AM, although the precise time of the first anomaly was not documented. Fortunately, the crew managed to rectify the issues, leading to a full restoration of engine functionality soon after. Until it was considered safe to proceed, 'Kopersand' remained anchored. On November 11, the vessel successfully docked at the North Quay of Montrose at 4:30 PM. Notably, 'Kopersand' chose to decline assistance from the tugboat 'Pacific Dolphin' during this episode. At the time of the incidents, the weather conditions featured winds gusting between Beaufort force 7 and 9, shifting southwest to a lighter 5 or 6.

On March 8, the MV Kopersand faced a significant setback as it lost main engine power at coordinates 50 46 N 01 19 W. Fortunately, the skilled crew managed to restart the engines, prompting the vessel to be escorted away from Southampton by a tugboat to the Saltmead anchorage for necessary repairs. Initially bound for Pasajes, the ship was under careful observation by the Solent Coastguard, which performed three-hour position checks using AIS while the boat traveled through the UK Exclusive Economic Zone. At the time of the incident, occurring at 2:30 a.m., the ship was approximately 13.22 nautical miles from Barfleur, specifically at position 49 52 21.97N, 001 07 46.57W. Cargo on board included 2,500 tonnes of rapeseed and 27 tonnes of gasoline. After completing repairs, the Kopersand successfully reached its destination in Pasajes on March 15.