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    Vessel Collision Incident


      Lecturer – Capt Cao jihui
  Aoxing Ship Management (Shanghai) Ltd
• Incident Date :31st Mar.2010
• Time: 0540LT / During Chief Officer’s Watch
• Vessel A -- Chemical Tanker, Full loaded with 3000mt
    Chemical Cargo
•   Vessel B – Domestic Bulk Carrier in ballast condition,
    with DWT about 1000mt
•   Category of incident: Vessel Collision btw “A” & “B”
•   Location: China Costal Waters
•   Visibility was 0.1 miles, wind SE/4
Description of the Incident
 Vessel A, sailed along the fairway with course
  110deg and speed 13.2Kts, visibility was 0.1
  miles, wind SE/4;
0505Lt, Chief Officer found vessel B through
  Radar on her port side 30deg/5miles without
  AIS, vessel B sailed southly and vessel C
  followed vessel B with distance 3 miles
When the distance between this two ships was
  about 2 miles, Chief Officer ordered to alter
  course to port heading to vessel B, he planned
  to pass from the space between vessel B & C
Description of the Incident
When distance was less than 1 mile, Chief Officer
   observed vessel B altered course to starboard,
   Vessel B did not respond to his sound signal &
   VHF calling. he judged it’s dangerous to turn to
   starboard, then ordered hard port, Vessel A
   turned around to come back to the original
   course, Vessel B turned course to port at that
   time, Chief Officer ordered hard starboard, but
   it’s too late, Vessel A starboard bow collided
   with starboard side of Vessel B at 0540Lt, with
   speed 5 kts.
All ships were safe to float, Vessel A anchored
   immediately and Vessel B made fast to Vessel A
Sketch for Ship movement :
                                     VSL C




                             VSL B




   VSL A
Damage to Vessel A: Starboard Anchor lost;
 Damage to Vessel B: Starboard shell plate was dented and
become tore, starboard hatch coming disconnected from the
ship’s construction. 4m long gunwale was collapsed.
No Personnel injured; No environmental pollution



     Damage to Vessel A
Vessel B
CAUSES ANALYSIS for Vessel A
1. Immediate Cause
  Chief Officer took wrong collision prevention actions.
    ----- Chief Officer altered course to port for a vessel
   detected forward of the beam in restricted visibility
    ----- and did not lower down the ship’s speed or stop
   the ship to use safe speed.
    ----- Even the ship made a turn around, Chief Officer
   did not check the effectiveness of his action, the
   collision was not avoided.

   Root Cause: Chief Officer was in breach of rule 8
   “action to avoid collision” and rule 19 “conduct of
   vessels in restricted visibility” of the COLREG
CAUSES ANALYSIS for vessel A
2. Immediate Cause
    Master was not on the bridge at that time.
    ---- The visibility sometimes was good and sometime
   was poor. Master get down the bridge for a short rest
   when the visibility was good
    ---- The visibility was getting poor, Chief Officer did
   not call Master on bridge to because of improper
   thought, he did thought he’s an senior Officer and he
   can safely navigate without Master’s supervision and
   he was afraid to affect Master’s rest.

   Root Cause: Master & Chief Officer was lack of
   necessary safety awareness and did not follow the
   Company’s policy: “SQI-133 Instructions for Safe
   Navigation in Restricted Visibility”
Other Observations for vessel B:
- Vessel B was detained by MSA, and just released
  from the MSA
- Minimum Safe Manning Certificate required 5
  persons on board, but only 4 crew on board at
  time of collision. No Master on board.
- Radar was used at range 1 mile only.
- Officer on watch did not keep proper watch
  on VHF.
- Officer on watch was lack of knowledge
  who alter course frequently.
 Preventive Actions:
-----Marine Superintendent boarded this vessel and held a
     safety meeting on board, discussed this incident together
     with Master & Officers
-----The technical operator has promulgated Safety Circular
     and Lesson Learnt with regard to the collision accident
     fleet wide, which emphasized to follow COLREGs & the
     Company’s policy for Safe Navigation in Restricted
     Visibility strictly and clearly required:
1. Officer on watch must call Master on bridge in restricted
     visibility.
2. To lower ship’s speed or stop the ship as the 1st step for
     collision prevention in limited area and not to alter course
     to port for the vessel detected forward of the beam
3. Master and Officers need to check the effectiveness of
     their actions for collision prevention until other vessel is
     finally past and clear.
4. Master must call all deck officers to hold safety meeting to
     study the COLREG and improve safety awareness.
Response to the Incident
Master Reported this incident to the Company immediately
  and then reported to MSA nearby, MSA investigator &
  Marine Superintendent came on board and investigation
  was carried out.

Under the intermediation of the MSA, two ships settled
  down this incident at friendly method, Vessel A paid
  35,000RMB to Vessel B. All liability for both vessels are
  clear to each other.

Vessel A: to install her anchor at next port
Vessel B: to go to shipyard for repairs directly.

Off-hire of Vessel A: Total 9 hours from 0540 to 1440 on
  Mar.31,2010,
      - END OF REPORT-



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