MCIB Investigation: Failure to follow port control instructions leads to close call incident - SAFETY4SEA - Safety4Sea

The Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB), the Irish authorities bureau for investigating maritime accidents and incidents, published its study of an incidental involving 2 rider ferries astatine Rosslare Harbour, Co. Wexford.

The incident

On the greeting of 16 March 2022, conscionable extracurricular the breakwater of Rosslare Harbour, Co. Wexford, 2 ample rider ferries engaged successful a adjacent 4th incidental resulting successful the ferries passing astir 100 metres (m) apart.

The inbound vas “Connemara” arrived from Bilbao successful Spain; it was scheduled to get astatine 08.15 hours (hrs). This vas arrived aboriginal and was asked by Rosslare Port Control to hold extracurricular the harbour successful the vicinity of West Holdens buoy. The outbound vas “Stena Europe” was scheduled to sail for Fishguard successful the United Kingdom (UK) astatine 07.30 hrs.

“Connemara” did not travel the instructions from Rosslare Harbour Control and alternatively of holding presumption proceeded towards the breakwater. “Stena Europe” was fixed support to sail by Rosslare Port Control and departed its berth unaware that “Connemara” was approaching the breakwater. The 2 vessels met each different conscionable disconnected the breakwater. Both vessels had to instrumentality enactment to debar collision resulting successful a adjacent 4th situation.

Credit: MCIB

Analysis

The “Connemara” being the inbound vas was early. When they were advised that they would person to hold until the outbound vas “Stena Europe” sailed, they had a fig of options.

“Connemara” claimed that due to the fact that of a beardown northerly breeze it had nary enactment but to support speed. This whitethorn beryllium the case; however, it does not explicate wherefore it decided to proceed towards the larboard alternatively of proceeding further to the northbound wherever determination was plentifulness of oversea country to manoeuvre.

Both the Master and relieving Master stated that they attributed their enactment to mis-understood and mis-heard VHF communications. The relieving Master besides stated that helium was acrophobic astir tides and being precocious for their accomplishment clip if the vas proceeded to the northbound of West Holdens. Had it arrived astatine its designated clip this incidental would person been avoided. The nonaccomplishment to transportation retired Rosslare Europort’s VTS proposal to hold astatine West Holdens is simply a causative origin of this incident.

The helmsperson of “Connemara” was ordered to steer 245° aft the “Connemara” passed West Holdens buoy, this is simply a people straight for the entranceway to the harbour. The inbound vas was informed by VTS, implicit the VHF vigor that the “Stena Europe” would beryllium sailing soon.

This was acknowledged by “Connemara”. A study tin beryllium intelligibly heard connected the VDR audio signaling of 1 of the span squad stating “she is moving” arsenic soon arsenic “Stena Europe” started moving. The inbound vas should person been alert astatine this signifier that a adjacent 4th concern could make astatine the entranceway to the harbour unless enactment was taken.

The span squad onboard “Connemara” made the determination to proceed towards the breakwater. No effort was made to clasp “Connemara” astatine West Holdens buoy arsenic advised by VTS. The Master of “Connemara” stated that helium was incapable to retrieve oregon place from the VDR signaling who made the remark of “she is moving”. Poor span squad absorption and inappropriate VHF procedures were a contributing origin successful this adjacent 4th incident.

The relieving Master was giving the helm orders connected the “Connemara”. He ordered the helm to starboard 20° and trim velocity instantly anterior to a subordinate of the span squad calling “Stena Europe” connected VHF to inquire if it were going to crook oregon transverse their bow.

The span squad were incapable to callback who made the VHF call. The MCIB has been incapable to get an mentation from either the Master oregon the relieving Master onboard “Connemara” arsenic to the crushed for this enactment oregon wherefore much important enactment was not taken overmuch earlier.

It is wide from the SMS that the Master retained bid astatine each times contempt the information that the relieving Master was giving helm and motor orders. The relieving maestro was efficaciously bringing the vas into Rosslare arsenic a grooming workout nether the supervision of the Master. Poor connection betwixt the Master and the relieving Master contributed to the adjacent 4th concern developing.

Statements received from the span squad of “Connemara” struggle with investigation of the VDR signaling with respect to manoeuvring, position, velocity and communications. On reappraisal of the VDR recording, the off-signing Master of “Connemara” concluded that determination were a fig of facts that helium did not retrieve until helium reviewed the VDR recording.

On reviewing the VDR signaling helium stated that helium could not beryllium definite which subordinate of the span squad was operating the VHF oregon if the messages were relayed. As a effect of the connection utilized successful the VHF conversations, Rosslare Harbour Control was led to judge that the “Connemara” was going to clasp astatine West Holdens. Inappropriate VHF procedures and connection contributed to this incident.

The outbound and inbound vessels should person been capable to show each different some visually and by means of radar and Automatic Identification System (AIS). The Harbour Master of Rosslare Port has confirmed that successful his sentiment some vessels would person had a wide visual, radar and AIS presumption of each other.

Credit: MCIB

Conclusions

The span squad of “Connemara” failed to travel instructions from Rosslare Port Control and alternatively proceeded straight towards the larboard knowing that different vas was outbound.

Although it was the basal connected vas nether the IRPCS and truthful obliged to support people and velocity successful a crossing concern wherever hazard of collision existed, nether IRPCS; Rule 17 (a) (ii) the enactment was disposable to “Connemara” astatine immoderate clip to change people and/or speed.

Rule 17 (a) (ii) states that arsenic soon arsenic it becomes evident that the springiness mode vessel, successful this lawsuit the outbound vas “Stena Europe”, was not taking due action, the basal connected vas whitethorn instrumentality action.

In his statement, the Master of the inbound vas “Connemara” said helium was unclear of the intentions of outbound vessel. This uncertainty is besides evident from the VHF speech astatine 07.28 hrs wherever the inbound vas asks the outbound vas if it is going to change to starboard oregon transverse ahead.

Given this uncertainty, the inbound vessel, “Connemara”, should person taken greater action, and taken it overmuch earlier, successful bid to debar this adjacent 4th situation. Further to this, nether the IRPCS; Rule 2 (b), the inbound vas could person astatine immoderate time, altered people and/or velocity arsenic indispensable arsenic the regularisation specifically allows for a departure from the rules to “avoid contiguous danger”.

The inbound vas could person avoided the concern wholly by utilising the heavy h2o to the northbound of West Holdens buoy to manoeuvre portion waiting for the outbound vas to wide the channel, therefore, avoiding immoderate anticipation of a adjacent 4th concern developing.

This is besides thing that could person been communicated to the inbound vas by Rosslare Port Control had the work Port Controller noticed that the inbound vas was not pursuing his advices.

It is evident from the VDR signaling and conflicting statements received from the span squad of “Connemara” that connection among the span squad was highly mediocre starring to a concern wherever determination was uncertainty arsenic to who was successful power of the situation.

It is further evident from the “Connemara” VDR signaling and statements from the span squad that planning, successful peculiar contingency planning, among the span squad was severely lacking.

The outbound vas was successful a presumption to person avoided this adjacent 4th situation. It is evident from its VDR signaling that it was acrophobic astir its sailing clip and not being held up by the aboriginal accomplishment of “Connemara”.

This whitethorn person affected its determination making process and caused it to place the advancement of the inbound vas successful its eagerness to sail connected schedule. The last determination to depart the berth is up to the Master of the vessel.

This is reflected successful the SMS which states that the Master indispensable guarantee each statutory requirements are complied with. This includes the IRPCS which requires keeping a lookout astatine each times. The span squad connected “Stena Europe” did not comply with this.

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