852 human lives were lost when the passenger Ro-Ro ferry MV Estonia sank on the night of 27/28^th of September 1994 in the Baltic Sea, while on route between Tallinn, Estonia, and Stockholm, Sweden. Instantly, a panel of investigators from three countries, Estonia, Sweden and Finland, was set up and the accident was studied in some detail. The conclusions as to the causal factors as well as the established sequence of events leading to sinking of the vessel were published 37 months later in the official report (click on the link). Primarily, inadequate design of the locking devices of the forward bow ramp was blamed for the tragedy.

The conduct of this investigation was criticised severely by a broad spectrum of individuals representing either parties affected directly by the conclusions or independent devotees to the profession. The main reason for the emerged dispute derives from apparent lack of objectivity of the commission in examining and openly discussing alternative opinions on many aspects of the loss.

Recognising that some aspect of the loss require further study, The Swedish Government has assigned VINNOVA (The Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems) in its capacity as the responsible agent for the national Sea Safety Programme to commission a research project with the aim of studying the sinking sequence of the MV Estonia. The results will be used for improvements of safety of today’s- as well as future-passenger ships.

A two stage research call has resulted in the commissioning of two consortia, referred to hereafter as the SSPA Consortium and the HSVA Consortium, to do a research independently of each other.

This site describes the details of the project to be undertaken between 1^st March, 2006, and 17^th March, 2008, by the SSPA Consortium.