MV Baltic Ace Shipwreck and Safety Concerns

The MV Baltic Ace shipwreck was a tragic event that raised significant safety concerns. The ferry was traveling from Finland to the Netherlands with 139 people on board when it collided with a cargo ship in the North Sea.

The accident occurred on December 6, 2012, resulting in the loss of 9 lives and severe damage to the ferry. The incident was widely reported and sparked a thorough investigation.

Safety concerns surrounding the MV Baltic Ace were largely centered around the ferry's navigation systems and crew training. The investigation revealed that the ferry's crew had been experiencing issues with their navigation equipment in the days leading up to the accident.

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The MV Baltic Ace sank within 15 minutes of the collision, taking on water and capsizing in shallow waters.

The ship's void tanks, which are only 1.3 meters wide, quickly flooded the cargo decks, contributing to the rapid sinking.

Three-metre waves and snow made the rescue operation extremely difficult.

Five members of the 24-person crew were confirmed dead and six were still missing after the initial search.

Thirteen crew members, including the ship's Polish captain, were rescued from liferafts by helicopters or nearby ships.

The search for missing crew members was called off due to the low chance of finding survivors, which was described as "virtually zero".

A total of 11 crew members were reported dead.

A photograph of a sunken vessel was incorrectly identified as the Baltic Ace, with the actual ship being the Asia Malaysia, a Philippine ferry that sank in 2011.

The salvage and removal of the MV Baltic Ace was a complex and challenging operation. The Dutch Government contracted with Boskalis and Mammoet Salvage to remove the wreck in February 2014.

The wreck posed a threat to shipping as it was a hazard in the busy route to Rotterdam. Within the wreck, there was 540,000 litres of fuel oil that posed a threat to the environment.

The salvage teams planned to break up the vessel into six sections and lift them to the surface over the summer.

A planned attempt to lift the sunken Baltic Ace car carrier from the seafloor near the port of Rotterdam has been abandoned due to damage to the ship.

The damage to the ship has made it impossible to proceed with the salvage operation.

The Dutch Government has awarded a salvage contract to remove the sunken Baltic Ace car carrier near the port of Rotterdam. The vessel sank on December 5, 2012, after colliding with the Corvus J container ship in the North Sea.

The Baltic Ace was carrying 1,400 Mitsubishi vehicles on board when it sank, with only 13 of the 24 crew able to climb into the life rafts. The wreck posed a threat to shipping and the environment, with 540,000 litres of fuel oil on board.

Dutch authorities contracted with Boskalis and Mammoet Salvage to remove the wreck in February 2014. The salvage teams will break up the vessel into six sections and lift them to the surface over the summer.

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SVITZER, a marine salvage and response company, has been hired to remove the fuel oil from the sunken car carrier. The oil sheen was spotted near the shipwreck, prompting a response from the Dutch government's hydrographic and oil spill response vessel, M/V Arca.

The salvage operation is crucial to prevent environmental damage and ensure safe navigation in the busy shipping lane leading to the Port of Rotterdam.

The oil spill from the MV Baltic Ace was a serious concern after the ship sank on December 5th. A sheen was spotted near the wreck site.

The Dutch government's hydrographic and oil spill response vessel, M/V Arca, was initially on the scene to respond to the oil spill. However, it has since left the area.

The replacement vessel, which has taken over the response efforts, is likely better equipped to handle the cleanup process.

The search and rescue operations for the missing crew members of the MV Baltic Ace have been suspended and will continue the next day.

The Dutch Coastguard has requested vessels in the area to be on the lookout for signs of survivors, such as liferafts or lifebuoys.

The chances of finding the missing seafarers are very low, but the coast guard is taking every precaution to ensure their safety.

The coast guard has asked vessels to be alert for signs of survivors, which is a common practice in search and rescue operations.

The damage sustained by the containership Corvus J during the collision has been documented with photos, which have been published.

The MV Baltic Ace sank in a relatively short period of time, within 15 minutes of colliding with the containership Corvus J.

The incident occurred on a Wednesday night, approximately 65 kilometers (40 miles) off the southeastern coast, likely in rough seas given the nature of the collision.

The Baltic Ace was a car carrier ship, designed to transport vehicles in a large, fully enclosed garage-like superstructure.

She had eight cargo decks with a minimum free height of 2 metres (6.6 ft), making it possible to transport large vehicles.

Two decks could be hoisted up to increase the clearance to 4.8 metres (16 ft), giving even more space for oversized vehicles.

Her car capacity was 2,132 RT43 units, which is a significant amount of cars.

Baltic Ace was 148 metres (486 ft) long and had a beam of 25 metres (82 ft), making her a substantial vessel.

Fully laden, she drew 7.9 metres (26 ft) of water and had a deadweight tonnage of 7,787 tons.

She was propelled by a single 5.84-metre (19.2 ft) nickel-aluminum alloy fixed pitch propeller directly coupled to the main engine.

Her prime mover was a 7-cylinder MAN-B&W 7S46MC-C low-speed crosshead diesel engine, which had an output of 9,710 kW (13,020 hp) at 129 rpm.

She also had three 7-cylinder MAN-B&W Holeby 7L23/30 auxiliary engines for onboard electricity generation, each with an output of 1,120 kW.

For maneuvering at ports, she had a 1,000 kW transverse bow thruster and another 660 kW thruster in the stern, both manufactured by ABB.

Baltic Ace was strengthened for navigation in ice and held a Finnish-Swedish ice class 1A.

She was classed by Det Norske Veritas, which is a reputable classification society.

The Baltic Ace sank within 15 minutes of colliding with the containership Corvus J. This incident raises serious concerns about the safety of RoRo ships.

The Baltic Ace sank approximately 65 kilometers off the southeastern coast. This is a stark reminder of the risks involved in maritime transportation.

RoRo ships are designed to carry wheeled cargo, but their safety record is not without its flaws. The Baltic Ace's sinking is a recent example of this.

The incident occurred on a Wednesday night, and the ship sank rapidly. This highlights the importance of swift response and emergency procedures in maritime accidents.

The Baltic Ace's sinking has sparked questions about the safety of RoRo ships. It's a wake-up call for the maritime industry to re-evaluate its safety protocols.