Written by
Nick Blenkey
The Nationwide Transportation Security Board (NTSB) says that failure by its mate to keep up a correct lookout and conducting upkeep on vital tools whereas underway led to an October 28, 2022 fishing vessel collision with an MSC containership.
No accidents have been reported. Injury to the vessels was estimated at $6.25 million and the fishing vessel finally sank..
On Oct. 28, 2022, whereas the 1,066-foot containership MSC Rita was transiting southbound within the Atlantic Ocean, 55 miles southeast of Chincoteague, Va., , the 115-foot fishing vessel Tremont was transiting north-northeast in the identical space. The Tremont handed forward of the MSC Rita, however then made a sudden flip again towards the containership. Shortly after, the vessels collided. The collision resulted in hull injury to the Tremont, which finally sank.
The mate on board the Tremont tprevious investigators that he was trying to repair the vessel’s gyrocompass whereas the vessel’s autopilot was engaged. The Tremont’s autopilot required heading suggestions from the vessel’s gyrocompass and wanted a consumer to enter the specified course. Because the mate adjusted the gyrocompass to troubleshoot the error, the autopilot processed the heading suggestions, inflicting the vessel to show towards the MSC Rita.
“On this collision, upkeep of a gyrocompass was being carried out whereas the vessel was underway with its autopilot—which was receiving heading info from the gyrocompass—engaged,” the NTSB report says. “Simultaneous operations, usually referred to in security administration techniques, is a state of affairs the place two or extra operations happen in the identical place on the identical time and will intervene with one another. Managing simultaneous operations is a necessary ingredient of security administration and secure vessel operation. Earlier than starting work, mariners ought to determine hazards related to engaged on one piece of apparatus that will have an effect on one other, resembling sensors feeding info to different tools, and handle these dangers to keep away from unsafe situations.”
The NTSB report on the fishing vessel collision additionally emphasised the significance of utilizing digital selective calling on fashionable VHF radios to speak misery. On this collision, the Tremont captain used VHF to sign misery, however due to the space between the vessel and the closest Coast Guard station ashore, the misery name was weak.
“Fashionable VHF radios are outfitted with digital selective calling (DSC),” the report says. Urgent the VHF-DSC button alerts search and rescue authorities and close by vessels, and robotically gives the vessel’s place. Time allowing, mariners may choose the character of misery on the radio and verbally talk with close by responders. When a vessel is in misery, mariners ought to use all obtainable means to sign emergency responders, together with VHF-DSC.”
The 13 individuals aboard the Tremont deserted the vessel and have been rescued by good samaritan vessels and a Coast Guard helicopter.
The Tremont’s dry maintain held almost 500,000 kilos of product on the time of
the casualty. The vessel was valued at $4 million and the load of fish at $750,000.
The MSC Rita suffered an estimated $1.5 million in injury, together with buckled
sideshell plating, distorted longitudinal framing, and a 600-millimeter-by-400-
millimeter (1.3-foot-by-2.0-foot) gap within the shell plating of the no. 2 water ballast
tank.
- Obtain the complete NTSB report HERE
