" Loss of the NELLA DAN-Her Final Voyage to Antarctica -November 1987"
by Published on 8th July 2021 10:14 AM
Commissioned by Lauritzen with considerable input from the Australian Antarctic Division, Nella Dan was named in honour of Nel Law, wife of the AAD Director of the time, Phillip Law.
Built by the Aalborg Shipyard Pty Ltd in 1961, she incorporated all the features of her older sisters, Thala Dan, Kista Dan and Magga Dan. An ice breaker stern, ice fins and ice knife were becoming regular features, but a novel addition was the double hull in the engine room and part of the holds. The ascent to the crow's nest was through the interior of the mast, and the ship supplied its own fresh water with an Atlas generator. At the time of her construction, Nella Dan was regarded as setting the standard for polar vessels.She displaced 2,206 gross tons and her diesel propulsion gave her a service speed of 13 knots.
NELLA DAN.jpg
(Mawson Ice Edge,Antarctica- Nov.1981-Photo courtesy of Flickr NOAA Photo Library)
[Extract from Modern Shipping Disasters-Lloyds of London Press Ltd] and my own research]
"The Danish motor vessel Nella Dan held a most unusual record.Averaging four trips per year she made more visits to the Antarctic than any other vessel-over 70.
Built in 1961,it had been planned to use her in a dual role at the far extremes of the globe ,trading between Denmark and the east coast of Greenland ,and also acting as a supply ship for Australian Antarctic research stations during the southern hemisphere'.s summer season.Because of her voyaging in extreme latitudes she was specially ice-strengthened She also had accommodation for up to 50 scientists and a crew of 33 ,being used mostly for geographical mapping expeditions of the Antarctic coastal regions,and lately, also in oceanographic research."
Her loss came in the area in which she had served so faithfully.
'Nella Dan was on voyage from Hobart,Tasmania ,from where she had sailed on 27th November,1987 to the Australian Antarctic Territory,loaded with equipment and supplies,when she ran aground on rocks in Buckles Bay,Macquarie Island,after dragging her anchor in heavy weather on December 3rd,1987 while transferring fuel to the shore base.Her hull became badly holed as a result of which her engine room flooded.There were no injuries to any of her 50 scientific passengers or 33 crew members,but all non-essential personnel were taken ashore to the weather base,which normally only housed 32 persons.
The motor passenger/icebreaker/supply vessel Iceberg subsequently arrived to take off 27 crew and 48 expeditionary staff from the island,returning them to Hobart on December 11th.However the master of Nella Dan,5 of his officers and a few expedition staff remained on the island.
After being refloated by salvors on December 21st,in what must rank as one of themost southerly salvage operations ever mounted,then anchored in Buckles Bay,the Nella Dan listed and caught fire ,apparently due to two diesel generators being left running on deck to operate pumps ,having overheated .
She was then towed out,sinking in flames in Lat.54-37.5 S,Long.159-13.3E on December 24th 1987 ,taking with her salvage and scientific equipment valued at about Aus$ 600,000.