Suche
Mein Konto
Captain's mistake: freighter crashes into lock in Wilhelmshaven!
On August 31, 2025, a cargo ship collided with a lock in Wilhelmshaven, caused by operating errors.
Captain's mistake: freighter crashes into lock in Wilhelmshaven!
Today, Thursday, August 31, 2025, an incident occurred in Wilhelmshaven that caused quite a stir. A cargo ship collided with a sea lock while entering the harbor. How NDR Reportedly, the reason for the collision was an operating error by the captain, which ultimately led to an engine failure.
The 113 meter long ship, which sails under the flag of the Marshall Islands and was loaded with grit, was badly damaged. In particular, the bow tip is completely crushed and the bulbous bow, which is crucial to the ship's aquadynamics, also suffered damage. The ship is currently not allowed to leave and is being towed to a berth to be examined more closely.
Extent of damage and reactions
The damage to the sea lock itself appears to be minor and its function is not affected. According to reports, the lock's superstructure remained intact, which is positive news for shipping in the region. Despite the unfortunate incident, no one was injured, which somewhat tempered the reactions of local residents and authorities.
Unfortunately, such incidents in shipping have not been uncommon in recent months. A captain has been arrested on manslaughter charges in connection with a serious shipwreck off the British North Sea coast in which the freighter “Solong” collided with the tanker “Stena Immaculate”. This collision not only resulted in significant damage to both ships, but also a fire that posed environmental hazards. The causes of such collisions are diverse and often range from human error to technical defects, such as daily news explained in detail.
Context of ship collisions
Ship collisions are not just problematic for shipping; they also have an impact on wildlife. The OceanCare organization points out that such collisions pose a serious threat to marine animals. Large marine mammals such as whales and dolphins are particularly at risk. Every year, numerous animals are killed or wounded by ships. OceanCare is therefore calling for shipping routes to be separated from important cetacean habitats and is advocating for speed reductions to reduce the likelihood of such accidents, as shown on OceanCare described.
A key point in the fight against ship collisions is speed, which determines the severity of the consequences. Reducing speed by just 10% could reduce collisions by up to 50%. This would not only have a positive impact on shipping safety, but also on the environment by producing around 40% less noise emissions.
Recent events highlight the need to both develop technical prevention solutions and improve training and awareness of ship crews. Only through comprehensive measures can safety on our waters be improved so that not only people but also wildlife continue to be protected.