Ships Collide in Severn Estuary

At half past two on March 7, 2005, Swansea Coastguard were alerted by Severn vessel traffic services (VTS) to a collision between two ships in the Severn estuary.

The collision occurred at twenty minutes to two this afternoon between the 17,065 tonne bulk carrier ‘Island Gem’ which was on passage from Bilbao in Spain to Newport with a cargo of steel products with a crew of nineteen, and the 13,410 tonne ‘Bro Traveller’ who was on passage from Pembroke to Cardiff with a cargo of fuel products. Both vessels have sustained some damage, but there are no injuries to crew members on either ship. So far established by the crew of the ‘Island Gem’ is a crack in the accommodation area, four to five metres above sea level. There is no ingress of water reported to either vessel. The `Bro Traveller’ has sustained damage to the foc’sle, and has damaged frames. An initial inspection is going on by the crew throughout the vessel.

The ‘Island Gem’ is continuing to Newport and the ‘Bro Traveller’ to Cardiff where they will be met by Maritime and Coastguard Agency surveyors. There is no risk of pollution.

The weather at the time of the incident was North nor’ east winds of 6 knots, with good visibility and cloudy. END