Grounding - 1992
Having spent the day of 7 August off the north east tip of the island of Martha’s Vineyard QE2 weighed anchor just after 2030 hours and headed south-west. On the Bridge were Captain Robin Woodall, the Staff Captain, the First Officer, two deck ratings and an experienced US pilot, Captain John F Hadley. It had been assumed by the Pilot that he would follow the same route to exit the Sound as he had used when he took the ship in earlier that day - but he changed his mind.
There was much small boat traffic around QE2 and ferries were frequently travelling between Oak Bluffs, Vineyard Haven and Woods Hole. Later the density of the traffic had reduced so at 2120 hours the speed was gradually increased to approximately 25 knots from 17 knots.
After making a projected plot from the course required the Second Officer realised that the ship would be sailing over the Sow and Pigs Reef that extended out from Cuttyhunk Island. The Captain was advised of this and he discussed the situation with the Pilot. The Pilot agreed and QE2 was turned to the southwest.
At 2158 hours QE2 had reached a point approximately 3.5 miles SSW of Cuttyhunk Island and was about to pass over the southern tip of the shoaling seabed as she prepared to skirt the main areas of the reefs when she experienced two periods of heavy vibration in quick succession.
The engines began to slow and QE2 began to lose speed. Captain Woodall contacted the Staff Chief Engineer in the Engine Control Room who reported that the propeller shafts were still turning at 144 rpm and that he was instructing his staff to check for possible damage. Thus mechanical breakdown was quickly ruled out and the First Officer confirmed that QE2 had not been involved in a collision with another vessel.
Captain Woodall:
“My first thought was that this was a catastrophic machinery failure; an engine broken loose or a propeller had come off!”
The Second Officer reported to the Captain that QE2 was in an area where the chart indicated a sounding of six and a half fathoms (39 feet). Other personnel, including the Chief Officer and the Senior First Officer arrived on the Bridge. The Pilot checked the charted position of the vessel with his own observation of the after radar display.
The Pilot and Captain soon concurred that QE2 had probably passed through an area where the water was not as deep as the charts indicated.
The Chief Officer was instructed to undertake internal soundings in order to determine the extent of the damage. Hold spaces, dry tanks and void spaces and the tanks were all checked, and it was soon ascertained that there was water in what should have been empty ballast and oil overflow tanks.
The Captain made a general announcement throughout the ship to the effect that QE2 had appeared to have struck an underwater object but that she was quite safe and the matter was being investigated. AT 2236 hours the Pilot reported the incident to the United States Coast Guard at Point Judith.
Further damage assessments concluded that the No 15 Freshwater Double-Bottom Tank, which had previously been slack, was now full and pressurised; a cofferdam located between NO 13, 14 and 15 Freshwater Double-Bottom Tanks and No 8, 9 and 10 Fuel Oil Double-Bottom Tanks, were also found to be full and some buckling was found in the tank top of no 3 Hold.
A possible sighting of oil in the water around the liner was reported to the Captain and, at 2252 hours, the Pilot informed the USCG of this. AT 2255 hours, the vessel was instructed to anchor and wait for the arrival of the USCG boarding party.
There was no panic among the passengers and the evening entertainment continued as scheduled with many passengers taking advantage of free drinks now being offered in the bars.
At 2232 hours QE2 was anchored in a position with Buzzards Lighthouse and shortly afterwards Lifeboat 11 was lowered to the water to search for signs of oil pollution. The Chief Officer reported a light sheen on the water surface in the area below the port bridge wing and he also reported the draughts of the vessel which were noted to equate to those calculated by the Stability Officer; no visible damage was reported.
At 2400 hours ballast pumping operations from No1 Saltwater Double-Bottom Ballast Tank were terminated. At the same time No 14 Freshwater Double-Bottom Tank was found to be pressurised and the contents of No 14 and No 15 Freshwater Double-Bottom Tanks were sampled and found to contain saltwater.
At 0215 hours Coast Guard vessel Bittersweet arrived on site and Coastguards boarded QE2.
The Forward Engine Room Void Space was found to be taking in water.
QE2 was carrying 923,454 gallons of oil fuel, of which there was a danger of about 40,000 gallons leaking, so the Coastguards ordered an oil containment boom to be placed from amidships on one side of the QE2, around her stern to amidships on the other side and this was in place by 0650 hours.
In accordance with regulations a nurse boarded QE2 in order to perform drug and alcohol tests on the Captain, First Officer and Pilot. These tests would later report that only low levels of caffeine had been found.
From 0700 to 0725 hours floodwater from the Forward Engine Room Void Space was pumped directly overboard under USCG observation followed by water being pumped overboard from NO 12 Saltwater Double-Bottom Tank.
In order to assess the extent of hull damage divers were sent down.
It had been decided that the passengers would have to be disembarked. At 1405 hours the passenger launch Schamonchi arrived alongside. Initially 555 passengers were taken ashore at 1500 hours.
At 1730 hours permission was granted for QE2 to proceed towards Newport where she anchored at 2006 hours. This would make disembarking the remainder of the passengers easier and that operation was commenced again at 2040 hours using the ship’s own lifeboats and two shore tenders, Viking Queen and Spirit of Newport. The disembarkation of all passengers was complete by 0220 hours on 9 August.
Passengers were then taken by train and bus to their intended destination, New York.
In the event only 30 gallons of fuel leaked from QE2 so the oil protection boom was removed.
QE2 then proceeded, accompanied by a Coast Guard cutter and two tugs, to Boston at around eight knots. She arrived there after a nine and a half hour journey to be dry docked for survey and, as they turned out to be, temporary repairs. QE2 was drydocked at the General Ship Corporation and the previously surveyed damage to her hull was confirmed once the dock was pumped dry.
It was only after QE2 had been placed in the dry dock that the true extent of the damage to the underwater hull became known. In all the damage covered a width of 80 feet over the keel and either side of it and extended over a length of 400 feet aft from the bulbous bow. The keel was covered in indents – some up to 240 feet in length and 14 inches deep – gouges and fractures, some of the latter being from 10 to 70 feet long and a 32 foot length and plates were buckled in place. In total 20 double-bottom tanks had sustained damaged to some extent and the port bilge keel had been severely damaged.
It soon became clear that full repairs would not be able to be carried out in Boston as the yard did not have the staff, the resources or the correct grade of steel to complete the job. After initial repairs QE2 would have to proceed elsewhere for final repairs. The Hamburg shipyard of Blohm & Voss was successful in their bid and QE2 left Boston on 1 September and headed for Germany. On arrival in Hamburg the liner was lifted in a floating dock and full repairs were undertaken.
Investigations into the cause of the grounding were undertaken by both the National Transportation Safety Board (USA) and the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB). The actual grounding site on Sow and Pig Reef was located and surveyed. Both investigations came to similar conclusions. There could be no doubt that the cause of the grounding was that the charts for the area were wrong and there was significantly less water than charted. In fact it was discovered that the area was last surveyed on 1939 by dropping a line at regular intervals; this method, of course, can miss significant peaks! It was noted that prior to the grounding QE2 had passed over an area with a 40-foot sounding without mishap or any indication of shallow water effect. QE2 grounded twice in quick succession; at the time of the initial grounding the depth of water was 35.0 feet while the depth of water at the second grounding was 34.2 feet. It assumed that the stationary forward and after draughts of the vessel were 32.3 feet and 31.3 feet respectively. On the assumption that no change in draught was caused by the effect of the prevailing weather conditions, it was apparent that the effect of ‘squat’ on the vessel caused the bow to sink by at least 2.7 feet. ‘Squat’ is a phenomenon where ships travelling at speed in shallow water settle lower in the water than they would normally – but the degree to which they do so is not easy to calculate. The extent of the damage suggested that, on grounding, the vessel was trimmed by the head. The Master had expected squat of one 1 to 1½ feet, with change of trim by the stern. It was clear that Captain Woodall had underestimated the magnitude of ‘squat’ effect upon his vessel in the prevailing circumstances – a factor magnified with the increase of speed to 25 knots.
And what of the rocks? Divers found signs of contact with traces of QE2’s red anti-fouling paint and shavings of steel were found on several rocks which had either been moved boldly horizontally, compressed into the seafloor or partially pulled out of the seabed by almost a foot. It was generally agreed that if a lesser vessel had sustained the damage QE2 had then it would probably have been lost.
In all nine Atlantic crossings and two cruises were cancelled while QE2 was undergoing repairs. There was intense speculation in the press that the repairs, lost revenue and compensation payments would cost Cunard up to £50 million but the company never revealed the actual cost. QE2’s return to Southampton on 3 October was a jubilant occasion with three fireboats escorting her up the Solent and the vessel returned to service the next day.
read more discussion on 1992 Martha's Vineyard Grounding topic 
