Cargo Ship Rams Into Denmark's Great Belt bridge

A Danish ship rammed into one of the pillars of Copenhagen's Great Belt bridge, shutting the bridge to all traffic, Danish rail authorities said. The "M/V Karen Danielsen", sailing under a Bahamian flag, hit the bridge at about 7:30 pm (1830 GMT), injuring two of the Croatian crew members and leaving one missing, according to Danish naval officials. "It is the most serious accident since the bridge opened in 1998, and one that shouldn't have happened, as the 3,500-tonne coastal ship should not have passed under it," said a spokesman for the Danish navy's operational command. "Karen Danielsen" is stuck under the western part of the Storebaelt Bridge Nine of the 10 Croatian crewmembers were evacuated to land, two with severe injuries, with a helicopter searching for the missing sailor. The 18-kilometer (11-mile) long Great Belt consists of a suspended bridge, a low bridge, a railway and a railway tunnel. The "M/V Karen Danielsen" hit the bridge at the link between the suspended and the low bridge. Opened in June 1998, the bridge is a link between the Baltic and the North Sea, the island of Zeeland and the island of Fionie, as well as the Jutland peninsula and the European continent. The navy spokesman said the ship had a pilot on board, who disembarked before it approached the bridge. Local police had earlier said a fire had broken out aboard the ship. The "M/V Karen Danielsen"
M/V Karen Danielsen - Call sign C6SW4, Inmarsat C telex 431151410, IMO No. 8500070




Type: Multipurpose boxshaped single/tweendecker Selfsustained Container Feeder
GT/NT: 3120/1632
Flag: Bahamas
DWAT/DRAFT sfb: 3650 mt/6,05m
Built: 5/1985, Sietas Hamburg Type 111a
LOA/LBP/BEAM: 88,60/80,86/15,45m
Holds: 1 boxlike, steelfloored
Hatches: 1: 51,35 x 12,575 m. Hydraulic folding type.
Class: GL X 100 A 5 E Containership. Strengthened for heavy cargo. MC E Aut.
Cubic (feet): 196.100/193.210 G/B
Gear: 2 NMF Cranes. Each up to 30 mt SWL. Combinable to 60 mt. H/L spreader on board.
Engine: Wärtsila 6R32 2220kw/720r. Shaftgenerator. Bowthruster

Cargo hold: Tweendeck adjustable 3 different heights. Electrically ventilated 25 airchanges. Certified for loading IMDG class 1 cargo.

Container load: Fully fitted for 256 TEU incl high cubes 9'6''. Able of loading about 170 TEU of 14 tons. Fitted with 20 reefer plugs on deck 380v/50 cycl. Bridgecontrolled anti heeling ballast system.

Speed/Consumption: 12,5 knots on 8,5 mt IFO 100 CST.