About 2140 c.s.t., on April 19, 1979, the Liberian tankship M/V SEATIGER, which had suspended pumping seawater ballast into its cargo tanks because of electrical storms in the area, exploded, burned, and sank at a berth at the Sun Oil Terminal, at Nederland, Texas. The SEATIGER was severely damaged in the area of its cargo tanks. Two crewmembers were killd. The total losses resulting from the explosion were estimated to be $35 million. The terminal berth was out of service for 180 days. The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the accident was the improper installation of the flame screen in the flame arrester aboard the SEATIGER which resulted in the propagation of fire through the cargo tank vent system after lightning ingnited flammable gases at the top of the ven mast; and a partially open butterfly valve in the cargo tank vent pipe system which created a path for the flame to penetrate the cargo tanks. The master's failure to require use of the available inert gas system to maintain a nonexplosive atmosphere in the cargo tanks contributed to the accident.
Marine Accident Report - Liberian Tank Vessel M/V SEATIGER Explosion and Fire, Sun Oil Terminal, Nederland, Texas, April 19, 1979
1980
40 pages
Report
No indication
English