Classification
- Incident Type: Grounded
- Severity: High
- Region: United States
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Vessel Name | Ever Forward |
| Vessel Type | Container |
| Flag State | Hong Kong [HK] |
| IMO Number | 9850551 |
| Gross Tonnage | 117340 |
| LOA (m) | 334 |
| Breadth (m) | 48 |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Date | 2022-03-13 |
| Location | Outside Craighill Channel, east of Lighted Buoy 16, near Baltimore, Maryland |
| Region | United States |
| Coordinates | 39.2909, -76.6108 |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Missing | 0 |
Key facts
- Ever Forward departed Seagirt Marine Terminal for Norfolk on 13 March 2022 under the direction and control of a Maryland state pilot.
- At about 20:17 EST, the vessel passed the waypoint for a required turn without the turn being executed and grounded outside Craighill Channel at about 20:18.
- The pilot relied solely on a portable pilot unit, made calls and sent messages during the transit, and began drafting an email immediately before the grounding.
- Ever Forward was refloated on 17 April after dredging 206,280 cubic yards of material and removing 505 containers.
- The USCG found no mechanical or equipment failure contributed to the casualty and identified failures of situational awareness and bridge resource management.
Narrative
On 13 March 2022, the container ship Ever Forward departed Seagirt Marine Terminal in Baltimore for Norfolk with a Maryland state pilot in direction and control of the vessel. During the outbound transit, the pilot relied solely on a portable pilot unit and stepped away from active navigation on that device to review a prior transit. The pilot also made five phone calls lasting more than 60 minutes in total, sent two text messages, and began drafting an email. At about 20:17 EST, Ever Forward passed the charted waypoint where a turn to about 180 degrees true was required. No turn order was given, the helmsman maintained the previous course, and the pilot recognised the missed turn at about 20:18. The vessel grounded outside Craighill Channel, east of Lighted Buoy 16.
The USCG report states that no deaths, injuries, or missing persons resulted from the casualty. Ever Forward remained aground until 17 April 2022, when it was refloated after dredging 206,280 cubic yards of material and removing 505 containers. The USCG found no mechanical issues or equipment failures contributed to the grounding. Its causal findings focused on loss of situational awareness and attention while navigating, together with inadequate bridge resource management. The report also contains safety recommendations concerning electronic-device distraction and bridge-team duties during pilotage.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|
| 2022-03-13 | Ever Forward departed Seagirt Marine Terminal in Baltimore for Norfolk under Maryland state pilotage. |
| 2022-03-13 20:17 EST (approx.) | The vessel passed the waypoint for a required turn without the turn being executed. |
| 2022-03-13 20:18 EST (approx.) | The pilot recognised the missed turn and ordered starboard rudder, but Ever Forward grounded outside Craighill Channel. |
| 2022-04-17 | The vessel was refloated after dredging and removal of 505 containers. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|
| Loss of situational awareness | Confirmed finding | The pilot and bridge team did not identify the missed waypoint turn before the vessel left the channel. |
| Electronic-device distraction | Confirmed finding | The pilot made phone calls, sent text messages, and drafted an email during the outbound transit while relying on the portable pilot unit. |
| Bridge resource management | Confirmed finding | The report identified inadequate bridge resource management as a causal factor in the failure to execute and monitor the required turn. |
| Mechanical failure | Confirmed finding | The USCG found no mechanical issue or equipment failure contributed to the casualty. |
Investigation
The United States Coast Guard’s completed investigation report identified failures to maintain situational awareness and attention while navigating, together with inadequate bridge resource management, as causal factors. The report found no contributing mechanical failures and issued safety recommendations concerning electronic-device distraction and bridge-team duties during pilotage.
References
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