WATCHOUT Grounding caused by inefficient bridge procedures

01 Feb 2019 The Navigator

In this series, we take a look at maritime accident reports and the lessons that can be learned

What happened?
A passenger vessel found itself unable to enter port without altering the agreed passage plan. Charted rocks at the entrance to the port made the arrival more difficult. Despite this, the passage plan was not re-evaluated or adjusted. Instead, the Master made an attempt at anchoring just inside the entrance of the bay, instead of in the planned position.

This resulted in the vessel grounding on the rocks, sustaining serious damage to the hull, port propeller shaft and rudder. In the aftermath of the grounding, the bridge team did not initiate the post-grounding checklist, nor did they sound the general alarm or crew alert. Neither the shore authorities, nor the ship managers were informed of the incident. There were no injuries, but the vessel had to be withdrawn from service for three months for repairs.

Why did it happen?

  • The bridge team failed to follow the correct navigational procedures and did not use the tools they had at hand effectively – although both the Master and the navigator had received specific training.
  • The team did not communicate with each other, nor question any decisions before, during or after the grounding. This compromised overall situational awareness and demonstrates poor navigational practice.

How can this type of accident be prevented?

  • The bridge team showed some dangerous lapses in the quality of their communications and navigation procedures. Similar errors of judgement would be highlighted as concerns during a navigational assessment, showing the importance of undergoing this kind of analysis.
  • Further training can inform and refresh bridge team members about how to handle situations such as these and so prevent future accidents from occurring. A good navigational assessment will identify specific training needs and enable safer navigation and more effective communications during a vessel’s entry into port and across an entire journey

Read the full report at https://www.gov.uk/maib-reports/grounding-of-passenger-cruise-ship-hamburg

COMMUNICATIONS AND NAVIGATION PRACTICES ON THE BRIDGE DURING THE ATTEMPTED ENTRY INTO PORT WERE FOUND TO BE POOR

If you find our accident reports useful, check out The Nautical Institute’s Mariners’ Alerting and Reporting Scheme (MARS). A fully searchable database of incident reports and lessons, updated every month. Seen a problem yourself? Email the editor at Mariners’ Alerting and Reporting Scheme [email protected] and help others learn from your experience. All reports are confidential – we will never identify you or your ship.

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