Classification
- Incident Type: Allision
- Severity: Medium
- Report classification: Serious marine casualty
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | Ohio |
| Vessel Type | Other |
| Operational designation | Pilot boat |
| Flag State | Malta [MT] |
| IMO Number | |
| Gross Tonnage | 8.10 |
| LOA (m) | 12.19 |
| Breadth (m) | |
| Year Built | 2013 |
| Construction | Glass-reinforced plastic monohull and superstructure |
| Propulsion | Two Perkins Marine diesel engines; 372 kW combined |
| Registered Owner | P. B. Delta Limited |
| Manager / Operator | Port Logistics Operations Ltd., Malta |
| Crew Complement | 2 |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | 2021-01-09 |
| Time | 22:33 local time (UTC+1) |
| Location | 2.5 nautical miles northeast of St. Paul's Bay, Malta |
| Coordinates | 36.000000, 14.435000 |
| Region | Mediterranean Sea |
| Voyage | Grand Harbour to Bunkering Area 1, bound for CMA CGM Titus |
| Persons on board | 3 |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Missing | |
| Physical damage | Ohio: two propellers and shafts, one missing rudder, one bent rudder, two rudder stocks, one Cutlas bearing, exhaust outlet, and minor starboard hull damage. The tuna pen also sustained structural damage. |
| Direct Damage | |
| Economic Damage | |
| Environmental impact | No pollution reported. |
Key facts
- Ohio completed pre-departure checks at 21:40 local time and left Grand Harbour at about 21:50 for an offshore conveyance operation.
- The boat was bound for the motor vessel CMA CGM Titus, anchored in Bunkering Area 1, and was making about 13.5 knots on autopilot.
- The allision occurred at 22:33 at 36° 00′ N, 014° 26.1′ E; Ohio breached the pen perimeter and entered the enclosed section.
- No injuries or fatalities were recorded. Ohio was pulled clear the next morning and towed to Grand Harbour.
- The MSIU issued recommendation 01/2022_R1 concerning the VTS workstation and guard-zone functionality.
Narrative
On 9 January 2021, Ohio was moored at Boiler Wharf in Grand Harbour. After completing pre-departure checks at 21:40 local time and obtaining permission from Valletta Vessel Traffic Services, the pilot boat left at about 21:50 for an offshore conveyance operation. It was bound for CMA CGM Titus, anchored in Bunkering Area 1. Three people were aboard: the coxswain, a general purpose hand who was being trained as a coxswain, and another person.
After clearing the harbour breakwater and the 8 m contour, Ohio set a northwesterly course, progressively adjusting toward the bunkering area. The engines were set for about 13.5 knots and the steering was in autopilot mode. When the boat was about two nautical miles east of the tuna farm, the coxswain saw a yellow flashing light on the starboard bow and ordered a port alteration to keep clear. The trainee-coxswain had difficulty seeing through the bridge-front window. The window-washer pump had been dismantled ashore for repairs, and operating the wiper without water made the visibility worse by smearing salt or spray across the glass.
About eight minutes after the course alteration, the coxswain saw a flashing light, stood up, and realised that Ohio was close to the tuna pen. He reduced the throttle, but the boat breached the perimeter fence, passed over the pen's HDPE pipes, and entered the enclosed section at 22:33. The report records the weather as overcast with good general visibility, southeasterly wind at Beaufort force 4, and a 1.5 m southeast swell. The MSIU concluded that localised visibility from the conning position had deteriorated and that the crew did not recognise that the earlier alteration was insufficient to pass clear.
The crew found no water ingress and no pollution was reported. Ohio sustained damage to both propellers and shafts, its rudders and associated stocks, a Cutlas bearing, the exhaust outlet, and the starboard side of the hull. The tuna pen's owners reported damage to sections of the perimeter structure, including handrail, HDPE pipe, stanchions, brackets, and expanded-polystyrene cylinders. Supply vessel Moor and service boat Gang Pil Lee attended. Gang Pil Lee arrived at 08:50 the following morning, pulled Ohio out of the pen, and transferred the tow to Moor for the return to Grand Harbour.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|---|
| 2021-01-09 21:40 local | Pre-departure checks were completed and permission for the offshore conveyance operation was obtained from Valletta VTS. |
| 2021-01-09 21:50 local | Ohio left Grand Harbour for CMA CGM Titus at Bunkering Area 1. |
| 2021-01-09 | About two nautical miles east of the tuna farm, the coxswain saw a yellow flashing light and ordered a port course alteration. |
| 2021-01-09 22:33 local | Ohio allided with the tuna pen at 36° 00′ N, 014° 26.1′ E and entered its enclosed section. |
| 2021-01-10 08:50 local | Gang Pil Lee arrived, pulled Ohio clear, and transferred the tow to Moor for the return to Grand Harbour. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Deteriorated forward visibility | Confirmed finding | Fine spray or salt particles accumulated on the bridge-front windows. With the washer pump unavailable, use of the wiper without water smudged the glass and glare and reflected light further impaired the view. |
| Visual navigation and unused instruments | Confirmed finding | The MSIU found that navigation was primarily conducted by eye and that the fitted radar and chart plotter were not used. |
| Insufficient course alteration | Confirmed finding | The port alteration did not provide enough clearance from the tuna pens, and the crew did not recognise this in time. |
| VTS safety barrier limitations | Confirmed finding | The fish-farm guard zone was not displayed or activated on the VTS workstation, while the chart window had confusingly turned red. The investigation treated the absent guard zone as a missing safety barrier. |
Investigation
The Marine Safety Investigation Unit of Transport Malta published Safety Investigation Report 01/2022 for national occurrence 202101/002. The MSIU listed the report as final and concluded that deteriorated visibility through the bridge-front windows reduced the crew's ability to detect the lights marking the fish-farm zone. Its conclusions also identified visual navigation, non-use of the radar and chart plotter, reliance on local knowledge, an insufficient course alteration, and VTS limitations. The report found no evidence that fatigue or alcohol contributed to the accident.
The MSIU recommended that Transport Malta's Ports and Yachting Directorate upgrade the VOC5060 VTS workstation and consider the functionality and activation of guard zones. During the investigation, the operator updated departure, navigation, and arrival checklists and instructed crews to use available navigational equipment and report defective equipment.
References
- MSIU Safety Investigation Report 01/2022: Pilot Boat Ohio
- MSIU 2021 accidents and incidents reports index
- Transport Malta: Marine Safety Investigations