On the evening of October 25, 2026, the cruise ship Mein Schiff 3 collided with berthed container vessels—chiefly the MSC Victorine—while unberthing from Columbuskaje in Bremerhaven due to gale-force westerly squalls driven by Storm Boelo (designated Tief Manja in Germany), an intensely deepened 947 hPa low pressure system whose steep pressure gradient generated accurately forecast 45–55 knot gusts directly against the ship's 10,000 m² lateral windage. This aerodynamic load potentially exerted such a force of lateral push across the Weser fairway, it heavily overpowered the vessel’s available holding thrust capacity and two assisting Fairplay tugs.

Barry discusses the storm, its naming and the mathematics behind, what was in hindsight, the bad decision to sail. He explains why, if the master and pilot had thought longer about the situation and indeed worked that maths, they may not have sailed, avoiding such a costly collision.

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The UK Met Office began officially naming storms in autumn 2015 alongside Ireland’s Met Éireann—later joined by the Netherlands' KNMI in 2019—starting with Storm Abigail. The initiative was introduced to replace inconsistent media labels with a single, clear identifier that cuts through communication noise, prompts the public to take proactive safety measures, and streamlines emergency coordination.

Barry discusses at length this naming principle, why we name storms and what effects such dramatically deep low pressures have on shipping including the Main Schiff 3 Collision in Bremerhaven - a video of which can be found on Youtube as reference.

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https://www.captainbarrysadler.com/

At Captain Barry Sadler Maritime Training & Consultancy we deliver industry-leading online courses, oral exam preparation, and professional resources for deck officers, cadets, and maritime professionals. Fully aligned with UK MCA standards, our training helps you build knowledge, confidence, and a successful career at sea.

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Driven by a "Super" El Niño event, the 2026 tropical cyclone season exhibits stark basin disparities, suppressing the Atlantic while hyper-charging the Eastern Pacific. El Niño shifts the atmospheric circulation, generating strong upper-level westerly wind shear that tilts and dismantles tropical disturbances across the Atlantic. Conversely, the Pacific features low vertical wind shear, favourable upper-level outflow, and record-high ocean heat content. Under background global warming, oceans absorb over 90% of excess planetary heat, which, along with sea-ice albedo loss and reduced sulphur aerosols, raises sea surface temperatures. Consequently, climate change increases peak storm intensities, fuels more frequent rapid intensification. El Niño is set this year to exceed records and affect atmospheric conditions globally with droughts in some parts and excessive rain in others. More important to the mariner are the effects on ocean storms.

Barry discusses these effects, reminds us how Hurricanes form and explains why the Atlantic and Pacific Storm Seasons this year are so dramatically different.

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https://www.captainbarrysadler.com/

At Captain Barry Sadler Maritime Training & Consultancy we deliver industry-leading online courses, oral exam preparation, and professional resources for deck officers, cadets, and maritime professionals. Fully aligned with UK MCA standards, our training helps you build knowledge, confidence, and a successful career at sea.

Check Out Our MCA Questions Apps

https://captainbarrysadler-colregs-quiz.base44.app

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