Vessel Collision Case Study 2

Summary

The incident in the Gulf of Mexico involved a collision between a bulk carrier (ship E) and a tanker (ship J) in a non-compulsory fairway near offshore platforms. The vessels, operating at full speed, were on crossing courses with ship A as the stand-on vessel. Despite attempts by ship A to communicate, ship E altered course, and ship A reduced speed to dead slow ahead. As the vessels neared, ship E made course adjustments, and both ships eventually collided. The analysis suggests that ship J violated collision rules, causing the incident, while ship A took appropriate actions as the stand-on vessel.

Takeaways

• 😀 The incident occurred in the Gulf of Mexico, south of Louisiana, near the Southwest See Boy, in an area with non-compulsory fairway.
• 😀 Two ships, a bulk carrier (Ship E) and a tanker (Ship J), were proceeding at full speed on a heading of 180 degrees, while Ship A was inward bound at full speed on a course of 326 degrees.
• 😀 Ship A first observed the two outward-bound vessels, Ship E and Ship J, 12 minutes before the collision, indicating a crossing situation.
• 😀 Ship A attempted to communicate with Ship E and Ship J over the radio on channel 16, but received no response.
• 😀 Ship E altered her course by 10 degrees to starboard and sounded short blasts on the whistle 3 minutes before the collision.
• 😀 Ship A reduced speed to dead slow ahead and sounded short blasts on the whistle 2 minutes before collision.
• 😀 At one minute before the collision, Ship E sounded one short blast and ordered hard to starboard, while Ship A turned hard to port and ordered full astern.
• 😀 The bow of Ship A struck Ship E on her port side at a 90-degree angle, causing damage to both vessels but no loss of life.
• 😀 According to Rule 7 (Risk of Collision), all vessels must use available means to assess if there is a risk of collision, and if in doubt, assume one exists.
• 😀 Ship J failed to take proper action to keep clear of Ship E, violating Rule 8 (Action to Avoid Collision) and Rule 15 (Crossing Situation), contributing to the collision.
• 😀 The two-mile wide safety fairway in the Gulf of Mexico was not considered a narrow channel, and both vessels were operating in a voluntary shipping lane, so no special rights applied.

Q & A

What was the location of the incident described in the script?

The incident occurred in the Gulf of Mexico, south of Louisiana, near the Southwest See Boy, in a non-compulsory fairway extending from the boy to the Gulf.

What type of vessels were involved in the incident?

The vessels involved were a bulk carrier (Ship E), a tanker (Ship J), and a lash carrier (Ship A).

What was the weather like at the time of the incident?

The incident took place at night, but the visibility and weather conditions were described as good.

What was the heading and speed of the vessels involved in the incident?

Both the bulk carrier (Ship E) and the tanker (Ship J) were outward bound, proceeding at full sea speed on a heading of 180 degrees. The lash carrier (Ship A) was inward bound on a course of 326 degrees, also proceeding at full sea speed.

How did Ship A communicate with the other vessels before the collision?

Ship A tried to communicate with the other vessels under the HF radio on Channel 16, but received no response. The pilot station provided the names of the vessels, but Ship A's calls went unanswered.

What actions were taken by the vessels as the collision approached?

Ship E altered its course by 10 degrees to starboard and gave short blasts on the whistle. Ship A reduced its speed to dead slow ahead and gave short blasts on the whistle. At one minute before collision, Ship E turned hard to starboard, and Ship A turned hard to port, ordering full astern on the engines.

What was the final outcome of the incident?

The bow of Ship A struck Ship E's port side at an angle of about 90 degrees. Both vessels sustained damages, but there was no loss of life.

Which vessel violated the collision regulations, according to the analysis?

Ship A violated the collision regulations, particularly Rules 8, 15, 16, and 17, and was the cause of the collision.

What role did visual contact play in the incident?

Visual contact, on a clear night, was considered an adequate form of communication between the vessels. Ship A could observe the red side lights and mast headlights of the two outward-bound vessels.

Did Ship J contribute to the collision?

No, Ship J did not contribute to the collision. It overtook Ship E on its starboard side and did not impede the navigation of the overtaken vessel.