This article outlines a pilot’s experience on approaching a lock. Slow response to his order for astern power, poor communication and ship design issues all come to light. What did the reporters tell us? Whilst manoeuvring a large pure car carrier (PCC) into a lock, with the stern tug at 100% arresting power, more deceleration […]
A container vessel reported failure of a give way passenger ship – on the reporter’s port bow with a closest point of approach (CPA) ‘close’ on the starboard bow – to alter course to starboard for him when requested. A VHF exchange showed that the passenger ship considered the CPA safe. The reporter (having maintained […]
Over 400 commercial vessels pass through the Dover Strait daily; the statistics for Malacca (where 4825 Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) alone transited in 2013) are similar. Other choke points are all getting busier. By definition TSSs are established where traffic density is high and navigation constrained. These are therefore places where the dangers of […]
Ships crossing a TSS pass nearly head-on at very close quarters (about 1 cable) at an approximate closing speed of 35 knots. See the reporter’s comments below. The actual location is not revealed in order to preserve anonymity. We do not have an exact track chart, but the reporter’s reconstruction shows the following: Extracts […]
What did the reporters tell us? The reporter’s ship, a VLCC, sights an overtaking vessel astern at 3 nm closing on an apparent collision course in open sea. VHF calls elicit no response. The other vessel makes a small alteration to port and eventually passes the VLCC at a range of 5 cables, having crossed […]
What did the reporters tell us? FAILURE TO DON A LIFEJACKET DURING A SEAMANSHIP EVOLUTION. This report concerns a commercial yacht (2000 GT). The yacht’s tender was to be moved away while the yacht shifted her anchorage berth, after a deterioration in the weather. The Mate decided to move the tender himself, and boarded her […]
Observed from a tug nearby standing by a vehicle carrier of 52000 Gross Tons (about to leave harbour), a crewman onboard a vehicle carrier change a stern light lamp, disregarding basic safety principles. Extracts from the information passed to CHIRP. ‘Whilst we [in the reporter’s tug] were waiting, we observed one of the crew members […]
What did the reporters tell us? In the course of work to fit exhaust gas scrubbers in a large ferry, pipes serving the exhaust gas heater fire suppressant system had to be cut; pipes/nozzles were found to be nearly blocked and thinned. This would have prevented the system from working as designed in event of […]
What did the reporters tell us? A crew member reported entry into two enclosed spaces onboard a ship at sea, without the necessary precautions, and raised concerns about the safety culture onboard. The company stated that entry did not occur in either case; procedural lapses may have occurred, but appropriate follow-up action had been taken […]
Report Text: A vessel in transit in the Roads outside the port of Luanda, Angola. Vessel ‘SR’ was seen to transit the busy anchorage at high speed and when encounter ing a vessel in a close quarters situation, did not comply with the Collision Regulations. This non-compliance with the regulations required our ship to take […]