Authorities blamed an early course changed and the lack of a look out in new findings on a January collision between a panamax boxship and a trawler off Australia.
At about 0015 on 23 January, the 3,478-teu Beijing Bridge (built 2005) collided with the 32-metre Australian fishing trawler Saxon Onward about three nautical miles southeast of Australia's Gabo Island.
No one was injured in the collision, according to a report by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB).
The ATSB findings reveal that a change to the Beijing Bridge's course to starboard sooner than planned brought the two vessels within close proximity, which was inconsistent with the master's standing orders.
Investigators also uncovered that the Saxon Onward's course alteration was not made soon enough to avoid the collision and the absence of a bridge lookout during darkness increased risk and was against company procedures and international regulations.
Further, the master was not notified during the developing situation and instead was alerted to it by the ship's horn.
Lessons learned
V.Ships, Beijing Bridge's management company, issued a memo requiring all managed ships to hold a safety meeting to review international safety regulations, including need for a bridge lookout during hours of darkness and calling the master in good time.
The company, owned by Ian El-Mokadem-led V.Group, also mandated that passage plan tracks would be laid out at least 10 nautical miles from shoreline where possible.
Saxon Onward's master has told the ATSB that he would keep two watchkeepers on duty in the wheelhouse when crossing highly trafficked areas.
The vessel has also installed automatic identification system equipment that displays a ship's identification and navigation information on a chart plotter.
The ATSB said it has received 65 reports of collisions off Australia since 1990 and has investigated 39 of those incidents.
Both vessels seen nearing one another
The ATSB said the Beijing Bridge's sole officer on watch noticed the Saxon Onward and another vessel about 10 nautical miles on its starboard at about 2330 on 22 January and slightly changed course to starboard shortly before midnight.
At about midnight, a Saxon Onward watchkeeper took over the wheelhouse for a retiring watchkeeper, whereupon he noticed the Beijing Bridge was eventually four nautical miles away.
The two vessels made evasive manoeuvres in attempts to avoid each other within a distance of 0.75 miles while the Beijing Bridge's officer on watch sounded long horn blasts.
The master, woken by the horn blasts, came to the bridge, from where he soon saw the Saxon Onward's bow scrape along the Beijing Bridge's starboard bow.
