Precautionary tales

Preparing to anchor whilst still under way. Walked back anchor to ‘just below the water’ at 10 knots. Flukes punctured shell plating causing flooding to forepeak.

Vessel left ‘European’ dockyard where anchor cables and been ranged and repainted. Went to anchor. Walked back to the water then let go. Cable parted at Kenter shackle where it had been broken in drydock and incorrectly reassembled. Repair Company paid for replacement and for debris to be recovered from seabed.

Commercial vessel in collision with a small yacht in open waters on a clear day.  Second Officer of commercial vessel was found to have failed to maintain a proper lookout, being involved in chart corrections and ‘popping round to the bridge front every now and again to check the radar’.

Lost anchor in ‘European country’ national waters. The Captain was instructed by the Coastguard to recover it. Divers recovered an anchor which was not their own. This seemed to satisfy the coastguard.

Vessel anchored in an exposed location.  Other vessel dragged anchor and struck own. Own vessel did not have engines ready for manoeuvre as prevailing conditions, common sense and in this case, the Management Company would require. Vessel was equipped with full ECDIS but anchor watch out-of-position alarm was not set up. Own Officer-of-the-watch later stated that he’d thought the other vessel was under way having confused the Maltese flag with the International Code of Signals ‘H’ flag (‘I have a pilot on board’).

Collision in anchorage in Greece in freshening wind. Other vessel dragged anchor, attempted to start engine but lost power and struck own vessel.

Collision during routine crossing situation. Own vessel was the give-way vessel and made a number of small alterations of course to open up CPA from 0.1 but too small to be appreciated by stand-on vessel. Eventually own vessel made a substantial alteration to starboard just as stand-on vessel made similar alteration to port. No injuries, no pollution but 300 tonnes of steel required renewal.

Grounding whilst under pilotage in US. Pilot attempted unsuitable manoeuvre and bridge team did nothing to intervene.