A tug towing a laden barge was heading into port in the early afternoon in clear visibility. The northeasterly course leading to the breakwater entrance involved passing a ship that was anchored in the designated area about eight cables south of the breakwater head. The ship was displaying the appropriate day signal.
A freshening westerly gale was blowing at the time and the ship at anchor was wind-rode. The tug’s skipper intended to pass to the west (across the bow) of the anchored ship course but, perhaps unknown to him, the wind was pushing the tug and tow eastwards. Eventually, while the tug barely managed to clear the bow of the anchored ship, the towline fouled her anchor cable and stem and the barge whipped around and struck the shell plating on the port bow of the anchored ship, causing a large dent. |
