Incident Overview

This section provides an overview of the incident that occurred in the traffic separation scheme in the Straits of Dover.

Incident Details

• The incident occurred in the traffic separation scheme in the Straits of Dover.

• The incident occurred during the day in dense fog and moderate seas.

• Bulk carrier he was proceeding at 40 knots on heading of 020 degrees while another vessel see was proceeding at 16 knots on a heading of 039 degrees and slowly gaining on vessel e tank barge I was proceeding on a heading of 240 degrees at a speed of 11 knots and was proceeding in the wrong lane of the separation scheme.

• Another unidentified vessel was also heading northeast slightly west of ships e and c.

Events Leading to Collision

This section describes events leading up to collision between ships C and E.

Timeline

• At a time of 10 minutes before collision, ship E has just passed along the stern of E, and both vessels have become aware of ship only coming towards them in the wrong lane.

• At a time of 6 minutes before collision, ship I changed course to starboard into small alterations and became on a collision course with ship E.

• Consequently, ship reacted to this change by also turning to starboard.

• At a time two minutes before collision, Ship C gave order hard to starboard, and being now aware of imminent danger, ship E gave the order hard to port and ships C and E collided into the side of each other.

Collision Regulations

This section provides an overview of the collision regulations that were violated during the incident.

Relevant Rules

• Rule 6 - Safe Speed: Every vessel shall at all times proceed at a safe speed so that she can take proper and effective action to avoid collision.

• Rule 7 - Risk of Collision: Every vessel should use all available means appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions to determine if risk of collision exists.

• Rule 8 - Action to Avoid Collision:

• Any alteration of course and/or speed to avoid collision shall, if the circumstances of the case admit, be large enough to be readily apparent to another vessel observing visually or by radar.

• Action taken to avoid collision with another vessel shall be such as to result in passing at a safe distance. The effectiveness of this action shall be checked until the other vessel is finally passed and clear.

• Rule 10 - Traffic Separation Schemes:

• A vessel using a traffic separation scheme shall:

1. Proceed in the appropriate traffic lane in the general direction of traffic flow for that Lane

2. So far as practicable keep clear of traffic separation line or separation zone

3. Normally join or leave a traffic lane at the termination of the name but when joining are leaving from either side shall do so at a small an angle to the general direction of traffic flow as practicable.

Fault Assessment

This section assesses which vessels violated which rules leading up to the collision.

Fault Assessment

• Vessel I was proceeding in the wrong direction in a traffic separation lane without any good reason. This initial fault was compounded by the fact that she was proceeding too fast.

• Both vessels C and E were proceeding much too fast when approaching the Dover straight in dense fog. By the time vessel I reduced speed when the presence of it was detected, it was clearly a potential danger, and after ship eater to starboard onto a collision course, the radar lockout on both vessels were not effective.