Over-Reliance on AIS -- Collision off Dungeness

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

It means that there was a notice to mariners about the tow.

I was thinking the MAIB thought he fell asleep, just couldn't prove it.

Pete

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Pete7

The OOW of a 15,000T ship was alone on the bridge in the early hours of the morning in the Dover straights, FFS.

. . .
Pete

Those who have transited the Dover Straits know that is like the back straight of the Indianapolis 500 in the middle of the race.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Pete7

I was thinking the MAIB thought he fell asleep, just couldn't prove it.

Pete

Ah, I see. I rather doubt he was asleep, however -- after all he did see the nav lights prior to the collision. He altered to port prior to hitting anything.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

The Dover Straits are the world's busiest seaway. It is insane to go barrelling down there at 15 knots with one guy on watch, who is neither looking at the radar nor keeping a sharp visual watch, nor paying any attention to notices to mariners.

I needed a new pair of shorts after viewing the AIS image Pete posted!

[Sandero]

In a very congest area where vessels are moving in "all" directions you barely have time to go below decks.... if that is where your plotter is (mine is) and evaluate the data from the radar and the AIS.... especially if you single hand. If that is the case you really need to NOT transit these areas of high traffic... as going below can be dangerous... or get the radar and the MFD/AIS into the cockpit. But you still can't get lost in screens... Stuff can happen very fast. People these days are addicting to screens! And many of them walk right into moving traffic.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor

I needed a new pair of shorts after viewing the AIS image Pete posted!

What isn't shown because it's January and recreational sailors are all tucked up in port is 200 yachts and mobos also adding to medley. Oh and there is always someone who decides they want to swim across the straights too

[Polux]

Elsewhere I posted about the danger to rely on AIS. Many small fishing boats don't use it, most of the pleasure boats don't use it many smaller ships don't use it, warships don't use it.

AIS is only mandatory to ships over 300GT and that excludes a huge number of commercial ships/boats. On fishing boats over 15 meters it is mandatory on EU, maybe that should be extended to all types of commercial ships/boats?

While it is not mandatory to all it is better to rely on radar as secondary detection system, being the first the eyes and hears of the one that is on watch. A huge number of ships/boats without AIS out there.

[Polux]

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor

I needed a new pair of shorts after viewing the AIS image Pete posted!

Not the only place with heavy sea traffic:

[nigel1]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

It means that there was a notice to mariners about the tow.

I imagine that's the end of this guy's career, but how many more are out there? Don't go out without broadcasting AIS.

And Rickmers is not some third world rust bucket fleet! That's a fine old German shipping company which surely pays well, trains its crews well, and has good procedures.

Sent from my D6633 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

I read this report over a year ago, and being in the industry, one thing I noted was the crewing agency used, which is based in Cyprus.
Another MAIB report published earlier concerned the grounding of a container ship, officers and crew from the same agency
https://assets.digital.cabinet-offic...WaveReport.pdf

Having sailed with OOW's from this agency, I am not really that surprised at these incidents.

Really bugs me when the OOW of these ships solely use AIS, AIS was never intended to be used for collision avoidance. While it can be useful, it will never replace the eyeball or the use of radar

[Robin3]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

This is a sad, but not unexpected story:

https://www.gov.uk/maib-reports/coll...ast-of-england


The bridge of a fast moving bulker did not bother to watch their radar or use ARPA. In the Dover Strait!! Encountered a small tug towing a barge and not broadcasting AIS. Saw it apparently only already in close quarters, turned to port, collided with the tow, snagged the towline, and would probably have killed the crew of the tug had the tow line not parted.

A lesson for all of us to keep a sharp watch on radar and do NOT assume that every target of interest must be broadcasting AIS. I have caught myself leaning too hard on AIS and thought how easy something like this would be to happen.

Perhaps the IPad signal failed and didn't update 'live' data [/sarcasm].

We have had really thick fog over the ICW anchorage in front of our condo last 3 or 4 nights. 3 boats anchored in the channel, unlit and then a pusher tug arrives and joins them, I saw the tugs deck lights and looked for its AIS info on Marine Traffic but nothing shown, I think the crew vanished ashore as I saw them return and the tug leave just after dawn yesterday.


I have an AIS transceiver and Like AIS but only trust my eyes and radar when it comes to the 'crunch'!,

[Sandero]

OT but related.... I heard a very funny bit on Prairie Home Companion... a spof on apps and how people have apps to do everything in their live including managing their apps! The shows are archived and it aired in NYC yesterday. That bit was a hoot and reminds me of where we are going with electronic boating. Do you need an app to manage your waypoints ;-)

[Robin3]

Originally Posted by Sandero

OT but related.... I heard a very funny bit on Prairie Home Companion... a spof on apps and how people have apps to do everything in their live including managing their apps! The shows are archived and it aired in NYC yesterday. That bit was a hoot and reminds me of where we are going with electronic boating. Do you need an app to manage your waypoints ;-)

You mean you do NOT have it yet??

[Hydra]

Excerpt from MAIB report on K-Wave grounding:

On board K-Wave, normal watchkeeping practices ceased from midnight on 14 February when a group of officers gathered on the bridge to celebrate the birthday of one of the officers.
[...]
At 0216, shortly after the party ceased, the vessels’ heading was altered from her planned track onto a course which eventually took her to shore. This alteration of course resulted in a smooth turn to port, with no vibration noted on the VDR. This suggests that the alteration of course was conducted using the autopilot, which had a pre-set limit for a rate of turn of 20 degrees/min. Once the alteration had been completed, the autopilot was re-engaged to steer the vessel on her new course of 305º until the grounding occurred. From this, it may be concluded that the alteration of course was not accidental or unintentional, but resulted from a deliberate manipulation of the autopilot controls. Whether the turn was conducted maliciously or as a prank, cannot be determined.

No assumptions can be made about the quality of lookout that was being kept during the party. However, once the deviation from the original navigational track had been completed at 0221, there is no evidence to indicate that anyone was then on the bridge until 0606, 20 minutes after the vessel had grounded, when the chief officer arrived. During this time no lookout was being kept, and there was no possibility that K-Wave’s course could be altered to avoid a collision with another vessel.
K-Wave steamed almost 50 miles, at full speed and with no one on the bridge, before grounding.

This is very substandard seamanship and watchkeeping. You can never be sure that the people on other vessels are more aware of their responsibility than these fools. Broadcasting on AIS will not save you in such a case.

Alain

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Hydra

Excerpt from MAIB report on K-Wave grounding:

On board K-Wave, normal watchkeeping practices ceased from midnight on 14 February when a group of officers gathered on the bridge to celebrate the birthday of one of the officers.
[...]
At 0216, shortly after the party ceased, the vessels’ heading was altered from her planned track onto a course which eventually took her to shore. This alteration of course resulted in a smooth turn to port, with no vibration noted on the VDR. This suggests that the alteration of course was conducted using the autopilot, which had a pre-set limit for a rate of turn of 20 degrees/min. Once the alteration had been completed, the autopilot was re-engaged to steer the vessel on her new course of 305º until the grounding occurred. From this, it may be concluded that the alteration of course was not accidental or unintentional, but resulted from a deliberate manipulation of the autopilot controls. Whether the turn was conducted maliciously or as a prank, cannot be determined.

No assumptions can be made about the quality of lookout that was being kept during the party. However, once the deviation from the original navigational track had been completed at 0221, there is no evidence to indicate that anyone was then on the bridge until 0606, 20 minutes after the vessel had grounded, when the chief officer arrived. During this time no lookout was being kept, and there was no possibility that K-Wave’s course could be altered to avoid a collision with another vessel.
K-Wave steamed almost 50 miles, at full speed and with no one on the bridge, before grounding.

This is very substandard seamanship and watchkeeping. You can never be sure that the people on other vessels are more aware of their responsibility than these fools. Broadcasting on AIS will not save you in such a case.

Alain

Good God. That is almost impossible to believe.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Sandero

In a very congest area where vessels are moving in "all" directions you barely have time to go below decks.... if that is where your plotter is (mine is) and evaluate the data from the radar and the AIS.... especially if you single hand. If that is the case you really need to NOT transit these areas of high traffic... as going below can be dangerous... or get the radar and the MFD/AIS into the cockpit. But you still can't get lost in screens... Stuff can happen very fast. People these days are addicting to screens! And many of them walk right into moving traffic.

This is where you don't want to be single handing.

Collision avoidance is a science, requiring concentration as well as skill, and it is difficult to carry it out competently while trying to do other things, at least, in waters where you have to deal with multiple targets simultaneously.

I find it is easiest to concentrate below at the nav table, using primarily the radar screen and paper and pencil for plots when necessary, and notes, while someone else steers and keeps visual watch. You also have the radio to hand there.

I like to do AIS not on the radar screen, but using OpenCPN on a different screen, which has an absolutely superior AIS function.