94010 Near Miss Crossing Shipwash

 Cutting the Corner
- Approach to Felixstowe. Daylight. Good visibility. Wind S'ly Force 6.
- Report No. 94010.

Own vessel, a 21,310dwt multipurpose vessel with a full load of containers and a draught of 9.8m, proceeding inwards from Hamburg to Cork Pilot Station, on manoeuvring speed and reducing to round the South Shipwash buoy. Target vessel was a container feeder inbound from Rotterdam to embark pilot at the Cork, on a course to pass between the South Shipwash buoy and the south end of the Shipwash bank.
At five miles distant, I established that we were progressing towards a close quarters situation with own vessel as the stand-on vessel. Identity of target vessel was established and own intentions passed on to same by VHF. Target vessel acknowledged understanding. At 1.5 miles distance target vessel altered to starboard to pass close astern of own vessel then 'following' own vessel back to resume original course. Target vessel had to make numerous alterations to port to regain original course and now, due to the combined effects of wind and tide, was setting onto the Shipwash bank. This once again put both vessels into a close quarters situation with own vessel now in a give-way situation having just rounded the South Shipwash buoy. This situation was foreseen by own vessel and due allowances already made by putting speed down to dead slow. Target vessel passed close ahead of own vessel and proceeded towards the 'HA' buoy to embark his pilot.
I conclude that the target vessel was remiss in passing between bank and buoy in the prevailing conditions, showing a singular lack of seamanship and understanding of the developing situation and its implications.
I would suggest that you will find in the near future a large number of reports of ARPA controlled incidents. There seems to be a section of the watchkeeping community who, in a stand-on situation, rely implicitly on the information provided by the ARPA without looking out of the window, and who deem <0.5 to be a safe passing distance -- AHEAD!