In January 1990 Captain Per Ringhagen joined Estline AB Stockholm together with his colleague Captain Sten Levander. Both were employed as masters for the Swedish flagged car/passenger ferry NORD ESTONIA ex DANA REGINA.

At that time Nordström & Thulin (N&T) owned 90% of Estline AB, Stockholm, whilst 10% were owned by the Estonian government owned transport company Tallinn Autobussi Kondis and by the Ministry of Transport. In Tallinn there was also a company registered by the name of Estline EESTI which, however, was owned 90% by the above-mentioned Estonian share-holders and only 10% by N&T.

During the first 4-5 months of their employment with Estline, Stockholm it was the primary task of the two captains to

1.) organise terminal and berthing facilities in Tallinn;

2.) select and employ two complete crews;

3.) develop safety and other manuals for the ship.

as to 1)

They had selected and assisted in the construction of the Ro-Ro berth in the port of Tallinn where at first NORD ESTONIA, subsequently ESTONIA were and now MARE BALTICUM is berthing. At that time Estonia was still under Russian Regime, but they had an excellent co-operation with Estline and the Terminal employees.

as to 2)

They had some rooms in the N&T office in Stockholm where they were working with the senior staff employed first, i.e. officers, engineers, and catering. The chief officers also came from Silja. They were Karl Karell (stayed with N&T as nautical adviser on ESTONIA and subsequently MARE BALTICUM, now probably superintendent) and Kjell Kereby (now sailing on Norwegian tankers). The 2nd officers were Nils Wigström, Karl Rosen, Juri Aavik, Christian Nordström. Juri Aavik succeeded Anders Andersson as nautical adviser on the ESTONIA was on board during the casualty voyage and did not survive.
One of the engineers was Per Erik Kjellström. He sailed as chief engineer on NORD ESTONIA until she was finally sold as THOR HEYERDAHL. He is now probably technical inspector for MARE BALTICUM.

as to 3)

They developed completely new safety plans and all other arrangements necessary to operate a car/passenger ferry of the NORD ESTONIA dimension between 2 countries, one of which then still being ruled by the USSR. They had absolutely no support from the owning company N&T.

The decision to buy DANA REGINA was made by N&T already in October 1989, i.e. long time before Per Ringhagen came into the picture.

After the take-over of the DANA REGINA, in March 1990, the vessel was shifted to Cityvarvet, Gothenburg, where she stayed for several weeks.

Substantial changes were effected, among other things, the bridge layout was changed to the effect that the vessel could be operated on the co-pilot system. The bridge had open wings.

From N&T Sten-Christer Forsberg was in Gothenburg more or less all the time together with Ulf Hobro, then safety inspector employed by Sjöfartsverket and subsequently responsible for the ESTONIA.

The most important changes were made in respect of fire-fighting and smoke detection (this was only couple of months after the SCANDINAVIAN STAR disaster and the maritime authorities were very sensitive). Both crews were on board at Gothenburg and trained in fire-fighting, escape, etc. The ship had to pass numerous safety inspections by Sjöfartsverket in order to get the new PSSC. At sea between Gothenburg and Stockholm lifeboat and fire-fighting drills and evacuation exercises were carried out.

In Stockholm the owners obtained the new PSSC confirming that the vessel complied with SOLAS 1974 without any exemption, although it was known to Sjöfartsverket that she would trade between Stockholm and Tallinn, i.e. more than 20 nm from the nearest land and she did not have the upper extension of the collision bulkhead in a position as required by SOLAS.

Note:

According to Captain Ringhagen this had also been the case with one of his previous employments, the car/passenger ferry SVEA CORONA. This vessel was subsequently transferred to the US west coast and renamed SUNDANCER. After arrival in the first US port the vessel was at once inspected quite carefully by the US Coast Guard in accordance with Port State Control Regulations. It was immediately discovered that the ferry did not have a properly located upper extension of the collision bulkhead above bulkhead deck and have a "partial collision door" at the location required by SOLAS 1974, had to be installed before the ferry received permission to commence trading with US passengers.

N&T went through the rather costly and lengthy procedure of fulfilling all requirements of Sjöfartsverket to obtain the new PSSC and to change to Swedish flag. As stated it was Ulf Hobro, who as responsible Sjöfartsverket inspector, confirmed that the vessel complied with SOLAS 1974, although she did not. DANA REGINA was renamed NORD ESTONIA, commenced trading on 16.06.1990 between Stockholm and Tallinn and stayed in this service until the beginning of February 1993 when she was replaced by the ESTONIA.

It was not possible for this 'Group of Experts' to obtain information from N&T and/or ESCO masters/officers about the practical aspects of berthing/ unberthing in Tallinn and Stockholm as well as proceeding through the Stockholm archipelago/dealing with pilots, tugs, etc. Therefore the respective experience gained by the NORD ESTONIA as stated by Captain Per Ringhagen, shall be outlined as follows:

 

(a) at Stockholm:

Frihamn Terminal, starboard side to berth,
loading/discharging via stern ramps;
- anchor use only in emergency cases - no tugs;
- masters and officers had pilot licenses for all entrances to Stockholm, so they never used pilots; (this was different on ESTONIA);
- speed inside archipelago: max. 12 kn, in certain areas down to 6 or 8 kn;
- average time to Sandhamn 31/2 hours, average time to Söderarm 41/2 hours;
- in bad weather the Söderarm entrance was always used, because the vessel was one hour more in the shelter of the archipelago and also because the Sandhamn entrance is difficult in winds of more than 15 m/sec from W-ly directions;
- Silja had a restriction of 15 m/sec. for Sandhamn, if the wind exceeded the restriction the ferries had to go through Söderarm, the Sandhamn entrance is very difficult being in SW / W-ly winds (lee coast);
- in good weather they always went via Sandhamn because the sea distance is almost the same and the time inside the archipelago is one hour shorter;
- from time to time they went via Söderarm in order not to forget the fairway lights, etc.;
- after having entered the archipelago via Söderarm the ferries can remain on full speed the 1st hour.

(b) at Sea:

- The ferries were using the same track eastbound as well as westbound including the waypoint at approximately 59°20'N; 22°02'E.

- They met 25/28 m/sec. and more winds several times and the vessel arrived with several hours delay. Experience has shown that the Baltic is more aggressive, i.e. has shorter, steeper seas than the Kattegatt or North Sea.

- On such voyages, with respective wind and seas from ahead, the speed was generally reduced to 8-10 kn maximum.

(c) Tallinn is a tricky port

- they occasionally used tug boats in Tallinn, but always had to take pilots;

- because discharging/loading was exclusively done via the bow ramp the vessel always entered bow first, which was the easiest way, and berthed with the starboard side to shore;

- the port is vulnerable to winds from directions between NNE - NNW, because the vessel then has to pass the breakwater with stern wind respectively wind on the port or starboard quarters, i.e. with relatively high speed to maintain steerageway, however, with a rather short stopping distance ahead;

Note: It was probably on such occasions that ESTONIA used the port anchor to reduce speed.

- the port authorities promised to keep the opposite berth empty to give the vessel more space to manoeuvre, which promise, however, was mostly not fulfilled;

- the pilots had to be taken in and out - there were 6 licensed pilots to take NORD ESTONIA in/out, but only 2 had the experience to do it successfully;

- upon departure there were two possibilities depending on wind direction/force:

• if wind up to 15 m/sec. the vessel was turned inside the basin (which was always the wish of the pilots);
• otherwise they proceeded stern first through the breakwater into the bay for some 3-4 ships length and then turned the vessel on westbound course.

- Whenever it was forecasted that on a voyage to Stockholm S or SW-ly winds would be met, i.e. from the port side, the heavier trucks were stowed at port side to have from the beginning a sort of counter weight to the wind pressure. Of course, this counter weight always had to be within controllable limits.
- Whenever the ship was alongside ca. 15 workers for the deck and another 15 for the engine department came on board. In the engine room they were basically working to keep it clean. On deck they did maintenance work like chiselling rust, painting, greasing, cleaning car deck, practically sailor's work. They had one foreman who worked under the instructions of chief officer and chief engineer.

Further details might be taken from the complete statement of Captain Per Ringhagen which is attached as Enclosure 5.3.111.