Charted as BRANDENBURG, 'notable debris' in the Marine zone. A dangerous wreck.
Vessel remains:
Lies in position 50°58.54N, 001°17.50E at a depth of 22m in a general depth of 28m.
Sonar dimension: 114.2 x 25.9 x 6.5m. Orientation: 48°.
First 'identified by Dutch divers' (13.1.71), and 'reported by Folkestone Salvage Company [as] lying on starboard side
with a 100ft gash on port side.' (11.2.71).
Dispersal operations began in April 1971, with the removal of the BRANDENBURG's masts and of the 'entire high
side in the way of No 1 hold', as well as the dropping to the seabed of her low section. (1, 18.6.71)
The sonar dimensions given above are derived from the 2007 multi-beam survey which also examined the TEXACO
CARIBBEAN wreckage just a little to the NW. (1, 30.08.07)
Documentary evidence:
'Sank after colliding with the stern section of the... TEXACO CARIBBEAN. It is possible that the motor vessel NIKI
which sank on 28.02.1971 may have collided with the wreck of the BRANDENBURG, or the stern section of the...
TEXACO CARIBBEAN... A local fishing boat, the VIKING WARRIER (WARRIOR?) rescued 11 of her crew.'
'There was little excuse for either of the latter to have struck the TEXACO CARIBBEAN since the wreck was well
buoyed and lit; as it was, several other ships missed disaster only by yards as they steamed at full speed through the
danger area apparently oblivious to the situation.'
'The Channel Shipping Separation lanes had been set up some years before but at the time, observance of the schemes
was voluntary, but in 1971 a series of accidents in the English Channel led to calls for immediate action - in the most
serious incidents, the tanker Texaco Caribbean was in collision with a freighter off the Varne shoals and the following
night the wreck was struck by the freighter Brandenburg, which also sank. Some six weeks later, the freighter Niki
struck the wreckage and sank with the loss of all 21 people on board... The company Risdon Beazley from
Southampton was contacted to remove the wrecks of the Texaco Caribbean, the Brandenburg and the Nikki. The
operation lasted 18 months. During that time the area was signalled by 2 lightships and 14 lighted buoys.'
A house of commons sitting on March 1st 1971 concluded that given the level of markings around the wrecks of the
TEXACO CARIBBEAN and BRANDENBURG, the third accident involving the NIKI 'should not have occurred.' It
was in this house sitting that pressure was put on the government to make the 'two-way flow system compulsory.'
'Action was taken through the International Maritime Organization (IMO) which resulted in the formation of the Dover
Strait Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS). Shipping is separated into two lanes divided by a separation zone. There are
two inshore traffic zones: one English and one French. The scheme was the first to be set up in the world and also the
first to be under radar surveillance.'
Source 7 shows a photograph of the vessel.
Built: 1951
Where built: Masch ; Lubeck
Builder: Orenstein Koppel
LBD: 110 x 14.9 x 6.4m ; 110.37 x 14.87 x 6.43m
Tonnage: 2695 grt
Propulsion: Screw-driven diesel engine
HP: 3600
Speed: 14 knots
Crew: 32
Crew lost: 21 ; 24
Ownership / registration:
1951, Laid down as the MARIENBURG but never sailed under that name.
1951 Registered in Hamburg to the Hamburg-Amerika Linie
1970 Registered in Hamburg to Hapag-Lloyd AG