Cargo ship sinks with 2800 cars aboard

[Iain Stuart Yardley]

At 1.30am this morning two cargo ships collided in thick fog in the English Channel. The Norwegian registered 50,000 ton Tricolor (built 1987) began to list and sank within one and a half hours, taking with it 2,862 brand new cars. Travelling from Zeebrugge, Belgium to Southampton, the collision with the Barbados registered Kariba occured just north of Dunkirk, France and 30 miles east of Ramsgate, Kent. All 24 crew members are reported as safe, the Kariba, heavily-damaged, is making for Dunkirk. The Tricolor is owned by Wilhelmsen Lines.

 

[Tarn Stephanos]

Was was the over dimensions of the ship that went down? We she likly be salvaged? Was the sinking caught on film?

Thanks for the info


Tarn Stephanos

 

[Paul Rogers]

Tarn,

The BBC have some more details, with a photo of the Tricolor, pre-accident. Here's the link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2575009.stm

There's also a link to a RealPlayer report.

I'd be surprised if anyone managed to film the sinking - apparently fog is still a problem in the area, so there wouldn't be a lot to see.

 

[Dave Gittins]

The contestants were

Tricolor ex Nosac Sun built 1987.
15,543 Dwt
49,792 GRT
190 metres LOA
32.2 metres Beam
18 knots
Flag Norway

Kariba
26,287 Dwt
176.96 metres LOA
28 metres Beam
15 knots
Flag Bahamas

Note that Tricolor had a greater GRT than Titanic in spite of being much shorter. These floating car parks get their volume by wide beam and great freeboard.

 

[Iain Stuart Yardley]

The Tricolor was carrying £31 million worth of top-of-the-range BMWs, Volvos and Saabs. The ship itself was worth £35 million. The Tricolor lies in shallow water, just below the surface, and all shipping has been diverted away from the area. It was due to drop off some of the cars at Southampton to go on sale in British showrooms, the rest were bound for the U.S. If you were expecting a new car for Christmas, forget about it!

 

[Tarn Stephanos]

Ive often wondered if these large car and general cargo superships have watertight bulkeads, or if such are removed in favor of more cargo space...

How deep was the water where she sank?

Expect a great deal of gasoline to seep from the wreck for years to come...

tarn Stephanos

 

[Tarn Stephanos]

Oh, i just read the BBC account...she seems in shallow water..at low tides, some of here lifebaots are visible above water. I should think she'll be raised, as shes a severe navigation hazard..

tarn Stephanos

 

[Geoff Whitfield]

Yes, they are going to have to raise her, she's lying on her side and quite visible with a nasty oil slick seeping out. Anyone taking delivery of a new BMW should make sure the interior is quite dry beforehand!!

Geoff

 

[Ian Bland]

Still a news item here. Thankfully all crew were saved. Plan seems to be to raise her. First job is to pump out the fuel and try to minimise environmental damage, but conditions are not good tonight. Interesting that the BBC said the cargo is worth many millions. I would have thought it was worth very little now!

 

[Dave Gittins]

Now some silly cow has gone and hit the wreck of Tricolor!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2578803.stm

Note the flag of convenience!

 

[Steve Smith]

It's getting comic, isn't it?

And you're right Geoff - watch out on ebay...

"Low milage BMW - washed regularly"

 

[Dave Moran]

Honestly and seriously, I am expecting a spanky new VW Golf V5 Motion with full leather trim, 6 CD multi changer and sunroff in a lovely aqua blue colour from my work at the end of this year - and I suspect it is now at the bottom of the Channel...

Which serves me right, I suppose, for being a sad old boy-racer-going-on-for-middle-age... I'm just glad that no-one got hurt, and I hope the fish get as much fun out of swimming round the car as I was hoping to get bombing about the highways and bye-ways of Scotland...

Oh, the humanity ... why, God, why ???

 

[Michael H. Standart]

From The American Shipper:

Three ships share liability for 2002 collision

quote:

In litigation growing out of the 2002 capsize and sinking of the Wallenius Wilhelmsen car carrier Tricolor in the English Channel, three ships have been found partially liable in a remanded collision case by a federal judge in the Southern District of New York.

More at http://www.americanshipper.com/SNW_story.asp?news=94593

Comment: Six years after the fact and the litigation still goes on. Compared to the ongoing saga with the Exxon Valdez, this is quick due process.​