Software Error May Have Led to Ro/Ro Grounding

The newly delivered car carrier Siem Cicero briefly touched bottom near Emden, Germany on Friday after she lost steering. The local water police reported that the likely cause was a software error in her steering system. A spokesman for Siem confirmed to media that a software error was a possible cause, and said that the firm is investigating. 

Two tugs assisted Cicero back to the pier, where the software problem was quickly remedied. Divers found no evidence of damage to the hull, and she proceeded on her commercial voyage to Halifax, Nova Scotia. As of Friday evening she was under way southbound in the English Channel. 

The Cicero was delivered on June 29 at Uljanik Shipyard in Croatia. She is the first in a series of three ships designed to carry 7,000 car-equivalent units each. The Cicero has several advanced features, including the use of weight-saving composite decking panels on her cargo decks and exhaust scrubbers for compliance with SOx regulations.