The UK MAIB has issued the report on the investigation of the collision between the general cargo ship Daroja and the oil bunker barge Erin Wood which occurred 4 nautical miles south-east of Peterhead, Scotland on August 29th, 2015.Minor damage was caused to Daroja but damage to Erin Wood included breaches of the hull, resulting in flooding of the vessel and pollution from leaking fuel cargo.
At the time of the accident, both vessels were manned by watchkeepers not keeping a lookout and therefore unaware of the risk of collision. On board Daroja, the chief officer, who was the officer of the watch, missed opportunities to detect Erin Wood by visual, radar and automatic identification system means. This happened because he had become complacent through distraction, inattentiveness, the repetitive nature of the vessel’s schedule and insufficient supervision. On board Erin Wood, the bridge was not continuously manned and, although the skipper was aware of the presence of another vessel, the situation was not effectively assessed and an assumption was made that a larger ship would keep clear.
UK MAIB found that lone watchkeeping was a causal factor on board both vessels and, similar to previous MAIB investigations, this report highlights the importance of identifying and managing risks when a sole watchkeeper is the only lookout.
This investigation has also identified significant safety shortcomings in the management and operation of Erin Wood. The vessel’s crew did not have the competence necessary to operate a small tanker and there was not an effective safety management system. This unsafe situation arose because Erin Wood’s managing company lacked experience in the industry sector and prioritised commercial gain ahead of safety at sea. Risks associated with Erin Wood’s operations also went undetected by the flag and coastal states. This happened because the Flag State’s process of initial registration was not sufficiently thorough and because Erin Wood was not inspected under the Port State Control regime.
Find more details by reading the report
Source: UK MAIB