Monthly Safety Scenario

May 2015

Collision
While the vessel was drifting outside the port,
the 2nd Officer completed the voyage plan. He
informed the master that there were a couple
of charts missing that were needed for the
passage and some charts were not the latest
editions which were required for the area.
The manger had a chart provider in Europe but
they did not provide any automatic updates.
Charts and publications had to be ordered. The
master was advised that all the outstanding
charts would be supplied in another port but
not in the present port.
Vessel A was partly loaded and departed around
2030. Two pilots were onboard and the weather
was good with partly cloudy sky, wind NW force
2. The vessel had all the required navigational
equipment. The vessel did not have an ECDIS and
navigated as per paper charts. All navigation
lights were displayed.
On the bridge were the pilots, Master, 2nd
Officer, 3rd Officer and a helmsman. The vessel
was in hand steering mode. The VHF units were
on channel 16 and channel 08. Two radars were
operating at 3 M range.
About one hour later the pilots departed the
vessel. The master had the conn and ordered
full ahead and altered course as per the passage
plan.
The vessel was maintaining about 10.5 knots
in the fairway and the master informed the VTS
that the pilot had departed. A couple of targets
were plotted, one of which was vessel C. It was
fine to port about 3 miles away, it seemed that
the vessels would pass each other closely portto-port. The master altered a couple of degrees
to starboard. The vessel was now sailing close to
the starboard side of the fairway.
Another vessel was plotted which was also
fine to port and at a distance of 4 miles. This
was vessel B that was crossing the fairway.

The master expected that vessel B would alter

to starboard.
Vessel A was actually outside the fairway and
altered a bit to port to maintain the starboard
side of the fairway. At this time vessel B was
1.5 miles away and showing green light.
When vessel B was 1 mile away it was slightly
to starboard of vessel A and showing green light.
It seemed that vessel B would pass down the
starboard side of vessel A.
Vessel A altered a bit more to port to stay clear
of B. At the same time the master called vessel B
on the VHF and asked about their intentions but
there was no reply. The master also called the VTS
but didnt receive any reply.
Shortly afterwards when vessel B was about
0.8 miles away the navigation lights started to
change as the red light started to be visible.
Now the master could see both the red and
green lights. Then her red light and mast lights
were visible. On the VHF the master could hear
port-to-port but the caller didnt identify
himself or who he called. The master ordered
hard-to-port.
Vessel B, which had initiated a starboard turn
towards vessel A, continued to alter to starboard
and struck vessel A on the starboard side.

Monthly Safety Scenario

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