Classification
- Incident Type: Capsize girding
- Severity: High
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | George H. Ledcor |
| Vessel Names | George H. Ledcor / Evco 55 / Westview Chinook |
| Vessel Type | Tug |
| Flag State | Canada [CA] |
| Official Number | 320352 |
| Gross Tonnage | 81.41 |
| LOA (m) | 19.29 |
| Power (kW) | 567 |
| Owner/Operator | Ledcor Resources and Transportation Inc. |
| Year Built | 1964 |
| Crew Size | 4 |
Evco 55 was an unmanned Canadian gravel barge, official number 810461, 78.03 m long and of 2,275.33 gross tonnage. It carried 4,621 tonnes of gravel. Westview Chinook was a Canadian tug, official number 396178, 13.47 m long and of 52.50 gross tonnage; it was leased to Ledcor for the operation.
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | 2018-08-13 |
| Location | North arm of the Fraser River, British Columbia |
| Coordinates | 49.2160, -123.1808 |
| Region | Canada |
| Fatalities | |
| Injuries | 1 |
| Missing | |
| Direct Damage | Electronic navigation equipment, wiring, and machinery were damaged; the tug was declared a total constructive loss. |
| Investigation Body | TSB |
Key facts
- George H. Ledcor was towing loaded gravel barge Evco 55 while Westview Chinook pushed from the barge's stern.
- Evco 55 failed to follow a course alteration and overtook the lead tug, causing a short, unrestricted towline to pull broadside and gird the tug.
- Attempts to reposition the tug and release the tow were unsuccessful before it rolled completely upside down at 22:10.
- All four crew members escaped onto the overturned hull and were rescued; one deckhand sustained a serious hand injury.
- The tug became a constructive total loss, and the occurrence released an unknown quantity of diesel that prompted a multi-agency spill response.
Narrative
George H. Ledcor departed Sechelt on 13 August 2018 towing the loaded gravel barge Evco 55 toward an unloading facility on Mitchell Island. The master arranged for Westview Chinook to assist by pushing the barge so the tow could reach the facility near high-water slack. Before entering the north arm of the Fraser River, the crew shortened the towline until the barge was about 15 m astern of the tug. Westview Chinook then resumed pushing.
At 22:08, while approaching the third of a series of river bends at about 6 knots, the master initiated a 31° alteration to port. Evco 55 did not respond. The master told Westview Chinook to stop pushing and applied more port rudder, but the barge continued straight and began overtaking George H. Ledcor. The towline moved to the tug's starboard side. Because it was not restricted by hold-down gear, it exerted a broadside force that placed the tug in a girded position.
The master applied full starboard rudder and full throttle in an attempt to reposition the tug ahead of the barge. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada found that the resulting propeller thrust, river flow against the hull, and increasing towline force instead increased the tug's heel. Once the deck edge and bulwarks submerged, the associated drag heeled the tug further. The master could not reach the wheelhouse abort button because of the heel. A deckhand pressed a button at the aft conning station, but the towline did not release; post-occurrence testing showed that the winch brake remained engaged.
At 22:10, George H. Ledcor rolled completely upside down at 49°12.96′ N, 123°10.85′ W. All four crew members reached the overturned hull. Westview Chinook rescued the master and mate, and the nearby tug River Rebel rescued the two deckhands. One deckhand sustained a serious hand injury while trying to climb from the tug to the barge.
The assisting tugs secured the casualty and barge and towed them to a tie-up, where responders deployed a pollution boom. George H. Ledcor carried about 22,000 L of diesel; approximately 800 L was recovered from the river, but the total release could not be determined. The tug was refloated on 16 August. Although structurally intact, its machinery, wiring, and electronic navigation equipment were damaged, and it was declared a constructive total loss.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|---|
| 2018-08-13 20:45 local | Westview Chinook joined the tow and began pushing Evco 55. |
| 2018-08-13 21:00 local | The crew shortened the towline to place Evco 55 about 15 m astern before entering the Fraser River's north arm. |
| 2018-08-13 22:08 local | George H. Ledcor began a 31° alteration to port; the barge did not respond and began overtaking the tug. |
| 2018-08-13 22:10 local | George H. Ledcor girded and rolled completely upside down; all four crew reached the overturned hull. |
| 2018-08-13 23:00 local | The capsized tug and barge reached the YVR tie-up, where a pollution boom was deployed. |
| 2018-08-16 | George H. Ledcor was refloated and pumped out before removal from the river. |
| 2018-08-17 | Sampling found no recordable contamination, and response resources were stood down. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Barge did not respond to course alteration | Confirmed finding | George H. Ledcor could not turn the loaded Evco 55 to port, due in part to Westview Chinook pushing on the barge's stern. |
| Unrestricted towline | Confirmed finding | As the barge overtook the tug, the towline was not secured by hold-down gear and exerted a broadside force that placed the tug in a girded position. |
| Destabilizing manoeuvre | Confirmed finding | Full starboard rudder and full throttle increased the heel because of the combined effects of propeller thrust, river flow, and towline force. |
| Shortened towline | Confirmed finding | The shortened towline reduced the time available for corrective action as the barge overtook the tug. |
| Tow could not be aborted | Confirmed finding | The crew's attempts to release the tow were unsuccessful before the tug rapidly capsized. |
Investigation
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada investigated the occurrence as report M18P0230 and released its final report on 2 October 2019. The TSB found that Evco 55 did not respond to the attempted turn, overtook George H. Ledcor, and imposed broadside towline force that girded the tug. The master's recovery manoeuvre increased the heel, the short towline left insufficient time for corrective action, and the crew could not abort the tow. The investigation also identified risks associated with insufficient initial and recurrent girding training, reliance on informal shiphandling practices, limited regulatory intervention, and abort mechanisms that were not optimally designed or positioned. Ledcor subsequently revised its procedures and training and installed standardized, more visible abort mechanisms across its tug fleet.
References
- TSB Marine Transportation Safety Investigation Report M18P0230
- TSB investigation page for M18P0230
- TSB news release on the investigation findings
- Government of Canada Publications catalogue record
Related
- George H. Ledcor
- Canada
- Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB)
- Girding
- Capsize Girding
- Tug Incident Classification
- Evco 55
- Westview Chinook