Grot-Rowecki
Encyclopedia
The General Grot-Rowecki is a freighter
which collided with the French
chemical tanker
Ece
in the English Channel
on January 31, 2006.
Built in 1985, she was named after Stefan Grot-Rowecki
, a Polish
general in the Second World War
. The 23,000 tonne, 198-metre cargo ship is owned by the Polish Steamship Company and registered in Malta.
At the time of the collision, the General Grot-Rowecki was en route to the port of Police, Poland
, while the 8,131 tonne, 126-metre Ece was bound for Ghent
, Belgium
. They collided approximately 30 miles northwest of Guernsey
. The General Grot-Rowecki was not seriously damaged, and its 21 crew members were unhurt. However, the collision led to the sinking of the Ece and the release of 10,000 tonnes of phosphoric acid
into the Channel. The Eces crew, numbering 22 members, was rescued by lifeboat and helicopter in a joint English and French operation.
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
which collided with the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
chemical tanker
Chemical tanker
A chemical tanker is a type of tanker designed to transport chemicals in bulk.Ocean-going chemical tankers generally range from to in size, which is considerably smaller than the average size of other tanker types due to the specialised nature of their cargoes and the size restrictions of the...
Ece
Ece
Ece is a Turkish feminine given name meaning "queen".* Ece Ayhan Çağlar, Turkish poet* Ece Ege, Turkish fashion designer* Ece Erken, Turkish actress...
in the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
on January 31, 2006.
Built in 1985, she was named after Stefan Grot-Rowecki
Stefan Rowecki
Stefan Paweł Rowecki was a Polish general, journalist and the leader of the Armia Krajowa. He was murdered by the Gestapo in prison, probably on the direct order of Heinrich Himmler.-Life:Rowecki was born in Piotrków Trybunalski...
, a Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
general in the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The 23,000 tonne, 198-metre cargo ship is owned by the Polish Steamship Company and registered in Malta.
At the time of the collision, the General Grot-Rowecki was en route to the port of Police, Poland
Police, Poland
Police is a town in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, northwestern Poland. It is the capital of Police County. As of 2006, the town had 34,284 inhabitants. The name comes from Polish pole, which means "field"....
, while the 8,131 tonne, 126-metre Ece was bound for Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. They collided approximately 30 miles northwest of Guernsey
Guernsey
Guernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet...
. The General Grot-Rowecki was not seriously damaged, and its 21 crew members were unhurt. However, the collision led to the sinking of the Ece and the release of 10,000 tonnes of phosphoric acid
Phosphoric acid
Phosphoric acid, also known as orthophosphoric acid or phosphoric acid, is a mineral acid having the chemical formula H3PO4. Orthophosphoric acid molecules can combine with themselves to form a variety of compounds which are also referred to as phosphoric acids, but in a more general way...
into the Channel. The Eces crew, numbering 22 members, was rescued by lifeboat and helicopter in a joint English and French operation.
External links
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/guernsey/4666020.stm Collision ship's safety failures
- http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article723580.ece Acid spill fears in English Channel after ship collision
- http://www.dcfp.navy.mil/mc/articles/other/Ece.htm Crews Rescued After Ships Collide