Classification
- Incident Type: Allision
- Severity: Medium
- Investigation Body: TSB
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | Vachon |
| Vessel Names | Vachon / Orient Crusader |
| Vessel Type | Tug |
| Flag State | Canada [CA] |
| IMO Number | 7305904 |
| Gross Tonnage | 389.68 |
| LOA (m) | 30.45 |
| Breadth (m) | 10.97 |
| Bollard Pull (t) | 35 |
| Owner/Operator | ArcelorMittal Mines Canada Inc. |
| Year Built | 1973 |
| Crew Size | 3 |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | 2014-09-12 |
| Location | Port-Cartier, Quebec |
| Region | Canada |
| Coordinates | 50.0187, -66.8757 |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Missing | 0 |
| Direct Damage | Minor damage to Vachon and the breakwater. |
| Outcome | No pollution or injuries were reported; Vachon and the breakwater sustained minor damage. |
Key facts
- Vachon was secured to the starboard bow of Orient Crusader as the bulk carrier entered Port-Cartier harbour.
- An ebbing spring-tide current set Orient Crusader east of the recommended track and outside the approach channel.
- Vachon’s master activated the tow-abort mechanism, but the towline did not release while under full tension.
- At about 20:35, Vachon struck the breakwater; the tug and breakwater sustained minor damage.
- The TSB attributed the occurrence to the carrier’s deviation, ineffective corrective action, inadequate bridge-team monitoring and failure of the tow-abort mechanism.
Narrative
On 12 September 2014, Orient Crusader approached Port-Cartier, Quebec, in ballast with a pilot on board. The harbour approach used two tugs, with Vachon secured at the carrier’s starboard bow and Brochu at the stern. Vachon’s crew consisted of a master, engineer and seaman.
An ebbing spring tide produced an easterly current estimated at about 1.5 knots. As the vessels approached the entrance, the current set Orient Crusader east of the recommended track shown by the range lights. At about 20:30, the carrier was approximately 90 m east of the track and outside the approach channel. The pilot attempted to correct the deviation and at about 20:32 ordered Vachon to push.
As the carrier’s bow came abeam of the breakwater, Vachon’s master warned that the towline might need to be released. When it became clear that the tug would not clear the structure, he activated the bridge-controlled tow-abort mechanism. The towline was under full tension and did not release. At about 20:35, Vachon’s port side struck the breakwater. The line released after its tension decreased, and Vachon continued into the harbour to assist with the docking operation. Orient Crusader was secured at about 22:00.
Vachon sustained a broken stay, shattered window and cracked door on the port side of the bridge, together with scratches and scuffing on its propeller guard and blades. The breakwater sustained a broken stay and bent beam. No pollution or injuries were reported.
The TSB found that the pilot did not fully appreciate the strength of the current and that the carrier’s bridge team did not identify the developing danger to Vachon. The tow-abort linkage’s seating plates had become recessed, leaving the linkage below its normal position; the pneumatic cylinder therefore could not release the hook under full tension. The report also identified risks from inadequate testing and inspection of towing equipment, the absence of a formal tug safety-management process and ineffective bridge-team monitoring during pilotage.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|---|
| 2014-09-12 19:07 local | Orient Crusader departed its anchorage about 3 nautical miles off Port-Cartier. |
| 2014-09-12 20:12 local | A pilot boarded Orient Crusader and took over the conduct of the vessel. |
| 2014-09-12 about 20:24 local | Vachon secured by towline to the carrier’s starboard bow. |
| 2014-09-12 20:30 local | Orient Crusader was approximately 90 m east of the recommended track and outside the approach channel. |
| 2014-09-12 about 20:32 local | The pilot ordered Vachon to push to help return the carrier to the recommended track. |
| 2014-09-12 about 20:35 local | Vachon struck the breakwater after the tow-abort mechanism failed to release the fully tensioned towline. |
| 2014-09-12 22:00 local | Orient Crusader was secured at section No. 1 after both tugs completed the docking assistance. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Prevailing current | Confirmed finding | The current set Orient Crusader east of the recommended track while two tugs assisted the approach. |
| Ineffective corrective action | Confirmed finding | The pilot did not fully appreciate the current’s strength, and corrective actions did not return the carrier to the track. |
| Bridge-team monitoring | Confirmed finding | Orient Crusader’s bridge team did not identify the developing unsafe situation concerning Vachon’s proximity to the breakwater. |
| Tow-abort mechanism | Confirmed finding | The mechanism failed to release the towline under full tension, preventing Vachon from taking evasive action before the strike. |
Investigation
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada investigated the occurrence and published Marine Investigation Report M14C0193. Its findings identified the carrier’s deviation under the prevailing current, ineffective corrective action, inadequate bridge-team monitoring and failure of Vachon’s tow-abort mechanism as causes and contributing factors. The report also found that the company did not regularly test the tow-abort mechanism and that inspection guidance for harbour-tug towing equipment was incomplete.
References
Related
- Canada
- Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB)
- Allision
- Tug Incident Classification
- Vachon