Pilot Error Caused Tanker to Strike Naval Pier in South Carolina
A pilot maneuvering a vessel too close to a bank, before a turn on the Cooper River led to the collapse of a 300-foot section of pier at Joint Base Charleston’s Naval Weapons Station in South Carolina, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Tuesday.The 600-foot-long tanker Bow Triumph—owned by Goldex Fortune Ltd. and operated by Odfjell Management AS— struck Naval Weapons Station Pier B while transiting the Joint Base Charleston Channel on Sept. 5, 2022, A Charleston Branch Pilots Association pilot was navigating the vessel, which sustained significant damage to the bow.
Ever Given: “The Captain Has Command of the Ship at All Times”
The Panama Maritime Authority has submitted its accident investigation report on the Ever Given to the IMO which includes the conclusion that “the Captain has command of the ship at all times.”On 23 March 2021, the Suez Canal was blocked for six days after the grounding of Ever Given between March 23 and March 29, 2021. The 20,000 TEU container vessel was struck by strong winds and ended up wedged across the waterway with its bow and stern stuck in the canal banks, blocking all traffic until it could be freed.A critical time period in the incident occurred at about 07:38 HRS / LT.
USMMA: Teaching with Simulation in the Maritime Field
A great deal of research related to student learning styles has emerged in recent years. Through that research strong arguments have been made that more kinesthetic learning methods, such as hands-on or experiential learning, are more effective than more traditional methods like the lecture. In the maritime field, technology such as simulation, has provided us with tools to harness the power of experiential learning; however, those tools alone cannot ensure students are learning…
Poland’s Maritime U.
Polish officers have earned respect in the engine rooms and on the bridges of the international shipping fleet. With more than 4,000 full or part-time students and about 600 graduates per year the AkademiaMorska in Szczecin, Poland, is assuring the continuity of this reputation. In addition to Polish students, the Maritime University is serving international members of the maritime community with a number of English language programs. They also offer specialized courses tailored to the specific needs of individual shipping companies.
Bridge Mismanagment Cited in Collision
The Canadian Transportation Safety Board (TSB) issued its report of the investigation into the collision between the bulk carrier CANADIAN PROSPECTOR and the heavy lift ship STELLANOVA in the St. Lawrence Seaway on 12 October 2002. As the two ships approached each other in the narrow seaway, the STELLANOVA began to experience bank effect. In an attempt to avoid being sucked into the bank, the pitch of the controllable pitch propeller was first decreased and then increased. The result was that the ship lost maneuverability and swung into the passing CANADIAN PROSPECTOR. The TSB determined that the primary cause of the collision was the failure of the pilot and master of the STELLANOVA to exercise proper bridge resource management principles. Report Number M02C0064 (HK Law).
