| I was onboard Maersk Dover when this incident took place. We had experienced a fairly rough crossing from Dunkerque with a northerly gale blowing in the Dover Strait but things looked considerably calmer as we entered Dover harbour and came under the shelter of the South Foreland. The vessel swung and went astern into berth No.2. Whilst still some way off the pads, the European Endeavour in berth No.1 was heard advising Port Control that one of their stern mooring lines had parted. Shortly thereafter she must have lost the rest as her stern came off the quay and she started to be blown down onto Maersk Dover. We promptly headed back out into the bay after a brief delay when we were caught in a sandwich waiting for the Pride of Calais to clear our path as she had just departed her berth, by which time the stern of the European Endeavour had come within less than fifty feet. Safely out in the bay, we watched the drama unfold. The Endeavour scraped down the Eastern Arm at right angles to the quay until her bow lodged against the knuckle on the end of the arm whereupon she rotated and drifted stern first across the entrance. At this point, DHB Doughty arrived in a cloud of spray, having hurtled across from the Western Docks, and commenced to assist. The Endeavour had both anchors down and, with a line to the tug, came to rest off the knuckle on the southern breakwater. Doughty then assisted her back to her berth on the Eastern Arm. Pleased to say that I have not heard any reports of any injuries on the Endeavour as it is a lethal business when ropes start parting, a second mate in Norfolk Line was killed a few months ago in the Irish Sea when a rope parted. Fortunate also that Maersk Dover had not finished berthing and still had her engines running so was able to clear out of the way. The penultimate photo depicts the atrocious weather out in the Dover Strait at the time. Final photo is of the front page of the Dover Mercury who contacted me and asked if they could use a couple of these photos. |
