Collision between general cargo vessel Scot Isles and bulk carrier Wadi Halfa

Location: Dover Strait off the south east coast of England.

Accident Investigation Report 10/2009

Read our marine accident investigation report, which includes what happened, actions taken, and recommendations:

ScotIslesWadiHalfaReport.pdf (787.76 kb)

Annexes (1,093.71 kb)

Summary

At 0449 on 29 October 2008, the UK registered general cargo vessel Scot Isles was in collision with the Egyptian bulk carrier Wadi Halfa in the Dover Strait.

Safety Issues

  • the masters of both vessels were complacent, a factor that had not been identified by the respective ship managers and which did not engender best practice in either bridge team
  • Scot Isles’ AIS was not monitored; ARPA was not used to acquire plot targets and the bridge watch alarm was not activated
  • Scot Isles di not advise the nearest coastal state of the accident

Recommendations

Recommendations have been made to the International Chamber of Shipping, the UK Chamber of Shipping, The Nautical Institute and the International Federation of Shipmaster’s Associations designed to promulgate the contents of the Safety Flyer to those organisations’ membership to highlight to ship operators and seafarers the importance of effective bridge teams and the maintenance of proper navigational lookouts.

A safety flyer to the shipping industry highlighting a number of the safety lessons was produced for this report.

This report was published on 14 May 2009.

Updates to this page

Published 23 January 2015