Collision between fishing vessel Natalie and unlit barge towed by tug Bay Protector
Location: Off south west coast of England.
Completed PE Summary: Natalie/Bay Protector
A short summary of the accident and action taken:
| Fishing Vessel/Accident Details | |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | Natalie |
| Registered Owner/Manager | Privately owned |
| Port of Registry | Fowey |
| Flag | UK |
| Type | Fish catching/processing |
| Built | 1990 |
| Length Overall | 11:35m |
| Gross Tonnage | 15.71 |
| Date and Time | 12/08/06, 2117 |
| Location of Incident | English coastal waters |
| Incident Type | Collision |
| Persons Onboard | 2 crew |
| Injuries/ Fatalities | None |
| Damage/Pollution | Minor damage/None |
| Merchant Vessel/Accident Details | |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | Bay Protector |
| Category | Merchant |
| Registered Owner/Manager | Torbay and Brixham Shipping Agents |
| Port of Registry | Brixham |
| Flag | UK |
| Type | Tug |
| Built | 1967 |
| Classification Society | Bureau Veritas |
| Construction | Steel |
| Length Overall | 26.19m |
| Gross Tonnage | 114.00 |
| Date and Time | 12/08/06, 2117 |
| Location of Incident | English coastal waters |
| Incident Type | Collision |
| Persons Onboard | 4 crew |
| Injuries/Fatalities | None |
| Damage/Pollution | None |
Synopsis
On a dark night with good visibility the fv Natalie collided with an unlit barge being towed by the tug Bay Protector. Natalie was damaged by the collision but there were no injuries and she was able to return to port under her own power, with a lifeboat escort.
Both vessels made assumptions based on scanty information when assessing if risk of collision existed, which resulted in neither vessel taking sufficient action, in ample time, to avoid the collision.
The tug, which was restricted in her ability to deviate easily from her course, failed to display the lights and shapes to indicate this and also failed to give any warning, through appropriate VHF broadcasts, that the lights on the barge it was towing had failed.
Action taken
The Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents has written to the owners of Bay Protector to acknowledge the actions they have taken since the collision and to advise them to review the following:
-
Carriage of lights and shapes as required by Rule 27 (c).
-
Use of “securite” broadcasts to advise shipping in the area when exceptional circumstances occur (lights failed on tow)
The Chief Inspector has also written to the owner/ skipper of both vessels to ensure that, in future, they use all available means to assess if risk of collision exists and avoid making assumptions which may be based on scanty information.