97015 Near Miss off Maas Approach

Own vessel was a large Ro-Ro on passage from Hamburg to Antwerp. At0445, Maas Approach was contacted on Ch 01 at position "Mike"and they were informed of my intentions to cross the TSS. As can be seenfrom the accompanying chart, this was to be at right angles to the flowof traffic.

Two outward bound ships had been plotted on my ARPA and, after my coursealteration, it was observed that they would both pass astern but far tooclose for comfort. At about 0505, vessel "B" was seen to alterto starboard and was plotted as passing well clear astern. Ship "A"meanwhile, was making no indications of giving way. About 0510, I alteredto starboard and finished up taking a round turn out of the ship.

Shortly after I altered to starboard, ship "A" altered toport and started flashing her Aldis at me. At this point ship "B"called him up and asked him his intentions as they were quickly approachinga close quarter situation. Ship "A" replied that the crossingship was giving him no room!!! Ship "B" suggested that, seeingI was altering to starboard, ship "A" should now do the same. This he did and both ships then resumed their original courses.

I can only assume that the person in charge of the watch on ship "A"had no knowledge of the Rule of the Road, or there was no Officer on thebridge. No comments were forthcoming from Maas Approach who must have watchedthis incident on their radars.