ERIKAERIKA

Sea Tech Week, Brest, 19 th of october 2006Captain Charles Claden

ERIKAERIKA12 & 13 december 199912 & 13 december 1999

Decision making

Drifting

Assessment

Daylight attempt

Helicopter

Personnel safety

Choice of towing gear

Search for shelter

ERIKA’s driftingERIKA’s drifting

Initial position : 47°10’ N – 004°36’ W Probable grounding around 5 AM on 13th

AssesmentAssesment

Action on the stern section

Estimation of the remaining oil : 10 000 Tons

Residual buoyancy unknown

Leakages replaced by sea water

Drift towards Belle-île island at 3 knots

Daylight attemptDaylight attempt

Night falls around 18h00Connecting at night would have been

dangerous

HelicopterHelicopter

Safety of the intervention team

Range of one hour on site

Nautical transfer dangerous

Personnel safetyPersonnel safety

To limit the time on deck

Split up the crew

Safety officer on deck

Training presentations

Crew’s experience

Barriers which are not at 100% impenetrable, time factor must be added

Draft of the casualtyDraft of the casualty

The break is about 20 meters forward the middle mast that means that the draft is more than 35 meters

Choice of towing gearChoice of towing gear

Emergency towing arrangement ( ETA)

Resolution OMI MSC 35 (63)

« Maritime Pusnes » system

Must be laid out by a single man in less than 15 minutes

Search for a shelterSearch for a shelter

Bathymetric line of 40 meters in blue

Maximum draft around 35 meters Dynamic draft around 45 meters due to the swell

ERIKAERIKA12 & 13 december 199912 & 13 december 1999

Operation

Air winching

Connection

towage

Wreckage

AirliftingAirlifting

Safety of the 2 men transfered to the Erika was ensured by the helicopter

Arrival: 14:00Leave at: 15:00

ConnConnectionection

After-deck covered (10 to 12 m wave height)

Need to shorten the duration of stay of the staff on the deck.

Surf riding startsRisk of collisionDuration: 7 minutes

TowingTowing

Stop the drift

Heave to

Avoid breaking the towline

Keep in a triangle 9 km sidelength

SinkingSinking14:53 on 1314:53 on 13thth december december

Film ERIKAFilm ERIKADirected by Hervé HamonDirected by Hervé Hamon

ConsequencesConsequences

About 15 000 tons were spilledMostly at the time of ship breakingThe remaining could be pumped later

because the wreck was lying at 120 m depth

Retainment tow of the aft part avoided spilling an additional 10 000 tons at a time when no protection plan could have been activated

Act !

Act quickly !

Act appropriately !

What should be done?What should be done?

Within as short a delay as possible With the best possible information With maximum efficiency