The Grounding of the Queen Elizabeth 2, August 7th, 1992

“There is a lesson here”

By : Barry M. Lusk CLS. Mht.

Hydrographic Surveys for Nautical Charting

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Queen Elizabeth 2 was launched in 1967

She was built by John Brown & Company Clydebank, Scotland

Queen Elizabeth 2 on her maiden voyage in 1968

QE 2 In North America in 1992Why?

• It was the final evening of a five day pleasure cruise for the 1,824 passengers aboard the British passenger liner Queen Elizabeth 2. Earlier that day she had traveled from Halifax, Canada into Vineyard Sound.

The QE 2 anchored in Vineyard Sound for the passengers excursion ashore

on August 7, 1992

QE 2 anchored here on August 7th, 1992

The passengers were taken into Vineyard Haven and were to be back at the ship and

underway at 18:00

Shore excursion here.

The QE 2 left the anchorage after 18:00 on August 7, 1992 and followed this route on

her way out of the sound

North America

She was the largest ship ever to enter this Sound

This is the QE 2’s out bound track after leaving the anchorage (at 21:44 the speed was set at 20

knots)

The pilot set a course of 255 degrees when the navigating officer said 240. The pilot had a plan. Have a look at the near grounding on a 36 foot patch at the buoy. At 20 knots she

was drawing almost 36 feet. Therefore her squat was less than 5 feet.

This is the ship board echo trace which shows the depth of the bottom under the keel from the buoy to

the grounding site.

This is a copy of the 1939 smooth sheet in the area of the grounding.

1.This survey sheet was at a scale of about 1:73,000 ; a mile to the inch.

2. The main sounding lines were 3000 feet apart.

3. The sounding lines over the shoal area shown in yellow were 1500 feet

apart.4. There are 6 lines of soundings

over the shoal area.5. The shoal area is 1.5 nautical

miles wide and 0.5 nautical miles at its north/south point.

6. The shoal area, considering the depth of the surrounding

area, must be considered a major and significant shoal

indication.7. The area should have been

interlined and examined to determine the least depth at the time of the original survey or

sometime after.8. Failure to carry out further

surveys to determine the least depth contributed

substantially to the grounding of the Queen Elizabeth 2

Surveys by NOAA in September 1992 after the grounding.

1. First impact area. Ship grazed over top of a 34.5 foot depth. Ship drawing 32.4 feet and there was 1.5 feet of tide. Therefore squat was about 3.5 feet not 8 feet as NOAA claims.

2. QE 2 on her course of 240 degrees.3. British Admiralty estimated position.4. Major impact area 33 feet5. Ships position at 21:58. Most likely position.6. End of impact area The Yellow area shown on the original field

sheet. This is the shoal area that should have been examined and is shown again below.

.

Original smooth sheet 1939.

As part of the grounding investigation side scan surveys were conducted

This side scan record shows one of the solitary boulders that the QE 2 impacted.The boulder was described by divers as rising approximately 6 feet off the bottom and had a 8 to 10 foot base. Based on the fact that the original 39 foot sound ultimately became a 30 foot sounding it would appear that some of the boulders that were not found as a result of the original sounding lines were 9 feet in height.

This is not the QE2 but it shows what damage a grounding can

cause

Hull damage to the Queen Elizabeth 2 was approximately $20,000,000

The Queen Elizabeth 2 back at sea after the repairs

Nice, assuming you don’t get “mal de mar”

What have we learned from this example of the “Grounding of the QE 2”

• We have learned the following;

What are the surveyors responsibilities

Carry out hydrographic sounding surveys based on the expected depth of the water in the survey area. Increase or decrease sounding line separation to reflect anticipated

dangers and depth of water.

When appreciable shoaling is detected on any main sounding line further examination of the shoal must be undertaken.

Examination must continue until the surveyor is certain that the minimum depth has been attained.

Not only is a shoal depth required but a bottom sample on the shoal is require in order to determine the nature and composition of the shoal.

Failure to determine the least depth on an indicated shoal is in contradiction of all maritime countries hydrographic standing orders. Failure to examine all shoal indications is a dereliction of duty. The

surveyor may be held responsible for future groundings on shoals that have not been examined or where the least depth has not been

determined.

Applicable standards and requirements are from the USGS and NOAA manuals. They are common to all

maritime countries hydrographic survey offices

• The applicable standards and requirements are contained in the 1931 Hydrographic Manual and in the project instructions for this 1939 survey and are mandatory. Some of the standards follow:

• The standards and requirements which the government failed to observe include the failure to observe and develop the 39 foot sounding discovered on September 7, 1939 and the failure to do additional field work in

the area of the 39 foot sounding to determine least depth.

• The least depth in the area of the 39 foot sounding was required to be found. Quote; “Particular care shall be exercised to obtain and record on their proper times all critical soundings, such as the least depth on ridges

and the maximum depth in valleys as those features are crossed.” Further; “A very careful and complete examination to develop the bottom thoroughly and to determine the least depth shall be made regardless of

any prearranged system of lines.”

• The failure to discover the least depth in the area of the 39 foot sounding was a failure to observe HM page 13, paragraph 108 which advises: “ It must not be assumed that the regular system of sounding lines will

show the least depth in any region. A sounding showing even slight change from the average depth should be regarded as an indication of a possible shoal and such evidence is greatly increased when shoaler

soundings occur on adjacent lines in the same locality.” Further: “ When it may be uneconomical to revisit the locality, the examination shall be made at once. Dropping a marker buoy and temporarily discontinuing the

regular line if necessary. Otherwise, the examination should be made as soon as practicable.”

I thank you for your attention