The damage to "Bismarck"s forward fuel tanks, combined with a missed opportunity to refuel at Bergen earlier in the voyage, left less than of fuel remaining, not enough to operate effectively against the Atlantic convoys. The element of surprise – which was considered essential for the operation's success – had most definitely been lost; the German ships continued to be shadowed by Wake-Walker's squadron. Lütjens concluded that he needed to abort "Bismarck"s mission and head toward a convenient dockyard for repairs.