A fishing vessel mate not sustaining a correct lookout and conducting upkeep on essential tools whereas underway led to the collision of a containership and fishing vessel, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) mentioned Wednesday. No accidents had been reported. Damage to the vessels was estimated at $6.25 million.
On October 28, 2022, whereas the containership MSC Rita was transiting southbound within the Atlantic Ocean, the 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 ultimately sank.
The mate on board the Tremont informed investigators 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. As the mate adjusted the gyrocompass to troubleshoot the error, the autopilot processed the heading suggestions, inflicting the vessel to show towards the MSC Rita.
“In this collision, maintenance of a gyrocompass was being conducted while the vessel was underway with its autopilot—which was receiving heading information from the gyrocompass—engaged,” the report mentioned. “Simultaneous operations, often referred to in safety management systems, is a situation where two or more operations occur in the same place at the same time and may interfere with each other. Managing simultaneous operations is an essential element of safety management and safe vessel operation. Before beginning work, mariners should identify hazards associated with working on one piece of equipment that may affect another, such as sensors feeding information to other equipment, and manage those risks to avoid unsafe conditions.”
The NTSB report additionally emphasised utilizing digital selective calling on trendy VHF radios to speak misery. In this collision, the Tremont captain used VHF to sign misery, however due to the gap between the vessel and the closest Coast Guard station ashore, the misery name was weak.
“Modern VHF radios are equipped with digital selective calling (DSC),” the report mentioned. Pressing the VHF-DSC button alerts search and rescue authorities and close by vessels, and robotically supplies 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 had been rescued by good samaritan vessels and a Coast Guard helicopter.
