COLREGS in TSS

A general cargo vessel was on passage from the Thames estuary to Antwerp. She was crossing the NE traffic lane of the Dover Strait TSS when she was in collision with a bulk carrier which was heading NE in the Sandettie deep water route. No lookout was posted on either bridge at the time of the collision. The vessels both had fully operational radars, fitted with Automatic Radar Plotting Aids (ARPA), although no radar targets had been acquired by either vessel before the collision. The general cargo vessel was the give-way vessel, but, on a clear, dark night with good visibility, neither vessel saw the other until moments before the collision. The watchkeeping officer on the bulk carrier, after seeing the other vessel very close to port, p ut the helm hard to starboard just before the collision occurred.

A fuel tank was breached on the general cargo vessel, causing pollution, while the damage to the bulk carrier, although less severe, took more than a week to repair on arrival on her next port.

Root cause/contributory factors

1. The lookouts on both vessels were allowed to leave the bridge in an area of high navigational risk.

2. In the absence of a dedicated lookout, neither OOW made best use of the available navigational aids (radar, AIS) visually to maintain an effective appreciation of the traffic situation.

3. The bulk carrier, despite having a draught of less than six metres, was using a deep-water route, which is meant for vessels with a draught of 16 m or more.

4. Although neither master was on the bridge, standing/night orders were not used to alert the watchkeepers to the risks they were likely to encounter during their bridge watch.

5. There was no encouragement for the lookout to become an integral part of the bridge team of either vessel.

Answer the questions

1.What vessel was bound for Antwerp?

2.What vessels were in collision? Where did they collide?

3.What were actions of the watchkeeping officer on the bulk carrier before the collision?

4.What was caused by this collision?

5.What navigational equipment were both vessels fitted with?

Decide if these statements are true or false. Correct the wrong ones.

1. A bulk carrier was heading NE in the Sandettie deep water route._____________

2. The OOW, lookout and Master were on either bridge at the time of the collision.___________

3. A fuel tank was breached on the bulk carrier, causing pollution.________________

4. It took more than a week to repair the bulk carrier on arrival on her next port._______________

5 The bulk carrier was using a deep-water route (for vessels with a draught of 16m or more), but she