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Accidents

Asterix (2015)

The mooring launch Asterix girted and capsized while assisting the chemical tanker Donizetti to leave berth 6 at Fawley Marine Terminal, Southampton, on 30 March 2015. Both crew members were injured, and Asterix was later declared a constructive total loss.

Classification

  • Incident Type: Capsize girding
  • Severity: High
  • Investigation Body: MAIB

Vessel Details

FieldValue
Vessel NameAsterix
Vessel NamesAsterix / Donizetti
Vessel TypeTug
Official designationMooring launch
Flag StateUnited Kingdom [GB]
Gross Tonnage25.41
LOA (m)13.08
Breadth (m)5.28
Bollard Pull (t)13.08
Power (kW)442
Owner/OperatorØstensjø Rederi AS / Solent Towage Ltd
Year Built2013
Crew Size2

Incident Details

FieldValue
Date2015-03-30
LocationFawley Marine Terminal, Southampton, UK
RegionUnited Kingdom
Coordinates50.9025, -1.4042
Fatalities0
Injuries2
Missing0
Vessels Lost1
Direct DamageConstructive total loss of vessel.
OutcomeAsterix girted and capsized while assisting Donizetti; both crew were injured and the launch was later declared a constructive total loss.

Key facts

  • Asterix girted and capsized at about 20:07 while assisting Donizetti from berth 6 at Fawley Marine Terminal.
  • The coxswain was trapped in the overturned wheelhouse for more than an hour before being rescued; the deckhand escaped and was recovered promptly.
  • Both crew members were treated for shock and hypothermia and released from hospital within hours; no one on Donizetti was injured.
  • The MAIB found that the crew had not been warned that Donizetti would come ahead and that the towing arrangement and emergency-release preparation were inadequate.
  • Asterix sank at about 21:23 and was later declared a constructive total loss.

Narrative

On the evening of 30 March 2015, the mooring launch Asterix assisted the chemical tanker Donizetti in leaving berth 6 at Fawley Marine Terminal. Wind from the west-south-west was force 4 to 5 and gusting to about 25 knots, with Donizetti being held against the berth. The pilot arranged for Asterix to assist the tanker’s stern, and the towline was made fast through Donizetti’s starboard quarter fairlead at about 20:00.

At 20:01, the pilot ordered the launch coxswain to make a tight line. Donizetti then moved away from the berth and, after the forward spring was released, increased speed to between 2 and 4 knots ahead. The coxswain had not been warned that the tanker was about to come ahead. At about 20:06, the pilot ordered Asterix to run with the tanker and then to come in and let go, but the launch could not reach the required position. As the towline loaded across Asterix, the launch heeled to port.

The deckhand had been completing logbook entries and was not initially monitoring the tow. When the developing danger was recognised, he and the coxswain tried to release the towline and place the engines in neutral. The manually operated emergency release did not operate under the loaded condition. At about 20:07, Asterix girted and capsized with the towline still attached to Donizetti.

The deckhand escaped from beneath the upturned launch and was recovered. The coxswain was trapped inside the partially flooded wheelhouse. Asterix was secured, still inverted, by about 20:30. At about 21:17, the launch rolled far enough for rescuers to see the coxswain, break a wheelhouse window and remove him. Asterix sank at about 21:23. Both crew members were treated for shock and hypothermia and later released from hospital; Donizetti sustained no damage and no one aboard it was injured.

The MAIB found that the parties had not developed or communicated a sufficiently detailed common plan. It also identified an intermediate gog-rope setting, insufficient towage and emergency-release training, inadequate operating guidance, weak pilot and launch-crew interaction and distraction on board Asterix as factors that left the crew poorly prepared for the rapidly developing girting situation.

Sequence of events

Date/timeEvent
2015-03-30 19:45 localThe pilot boarded Donizetti and discussed using a tug to assist the departure.
2015-03-30 about 20:00 localAsterix came alongside and made its towline fast to Donizetti’s starboard quarter.
2015-03-30 20:01 localThe pilot ordered Asterix to make a tight line.
2015-03-30 about 20:05 localDonizetti moved off the berth and increased speed to between 2 and 4 knots ahead.
2015-03-30 about 20:06 localThe pilot ordered Asterix to run with Donizetti and then to come in and let go.
2015-03-30 about 20:07 localAsterix girted and capsized with the towline still attached.
2015-03-30 about 20:30 localAsterix was secured, still inverted, to the south dolphin.
2015-03-30 about 21:17 localAsterix rolled and rescuers sighted the trapped coxswain in the wheelhouse.
2015-03-30 about 21:23 localAsterix sank.

Contributing factors

FactorEvidence statusDescription
Incomplete shared planConfirmed findingDonizetti’s master, the pilot and Asterix’s coxswain did not share a common, detailed understanding of the manoeuvre, and the coxswain was not told that the tanker would come ahead.
Intermediate gog-rope settingConfirmed findingThe gog rope was neither short enough to move the towing point sufficiently aft nor long enough to provide maximum manoeuvrability.
Towage training and guidanceConfirmed findingRisk assessments, operating guidance and in-house training did not provide enough detail on preventing girting or recognising the developing hazard.
Emergency-release preparationConfirmed findingThe effort required to operate the towing-hook release increased under load, but crews had not drilled sufficiently in using it in those conditions.
Reduced situation awarenessConfirmed findingThe deckhand was completing logbook entries instead of continuously monitoring the tow, and the crew’s response to the developing danger was delayed.

Investigation

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch investigated the casualty and published Report No. 10/2016. It concluded that poor communication of the manoeuvre, the gog-rope arrangement, insufficient training and emergency-release practice, and weak operational interaction contributed to the girting and capsize. The report made recommendations concerning towage training, risk assessment, pilot interaction and emergency-release arrangements.

References

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