LIBERIAN TANK VESSEL M/V SEATIGER EXPLOSION AND FIRE SUN OIL TERMINAL NEDERLAND, TEXAS, APRIL 19, 1979. MARINE ACCIDENT REPORT

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 killed. 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 innstallation 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 ignited flammable gases at the top of the vent 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.

• Corporate Authors:

  National Transportation Safety Board

  800 Independence Avenue, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20594
• Publication Date: 1980-9-2

Media Info

• Pagination: 32 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Ballast (Ships); Crash causes; Explosions; Fatalities; Fire extinguishing agents; Intermodal transfer; Noble gases; Petroleum; Petroleum terminals; Tankers
• Uncontrolled Terms: Inert gas systems
• Old TRIS Terms: Explosive vapor ignition; Flame arresters; Oil terminals; Oil transfer operations; Ss seatiger; Tanker ballasting; Tanker casualties; Tanker explosions
• Subject Areas: Freight Transportation; Geotechnology; Marine Transportation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00322636
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: NTBS-MAR-80-12
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 29 1980 12:00AM