Classification
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Incident date | 2016-05-27 |
| Incident type | Grounded |
| Severity | Low |
| Region | Canada |
| Location | Gros Cap Reefs, Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario, Canada |
Vessel Details
| Vessel | Type | Flag state | IMO number | Gross tonnage | LOA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roger Blough | Bulk Carrier | United States [US] | 7222138 | 22,041 | 261.5 m |
The NTSB identified Roger Blough as a 1972-built, self-discharging lake freighter operated by Great Lakes Fleet, Inc. Its port of registry was Duluth, Minnesota. The vessel carried 24 persons and was loaded with 45,093 tons of taconite iron ore pellets.
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 46.5133, -84.6200 |
| Date and time | 2016-05-27, 13:12 local time |
| Waterway | Birch Point Course, St. Marys River, eastern Lake Superior |
| Human consequences | Injuries: 0 |
| Environmental consequences | No pollution reported |
| Direct damage | Multiple hull punctures and fractures; flooding in several tanks and spaces; cargo belt tunnel and cargo belt pulley system damage. |
| Economic damage | USD 4.5 million |
| Vessel outcome | Refloated after cargo lightering, repaired, and returned to commercial service on 2016-08-06. |
Key facts
- The grounding occurred at about 13:12 local time on 27 May 2016 near Gros Cap Reefs Light.
- Roger Blough was overtaking the Anglian Lady tow of the disabled laker Tim S. Dool.
- NTSB analysis found that the vessel’s electronic chart system showed it straddling the channel edge while the second mate was looking out the bridge windows rather than monitoring the electronic track.
- The vessel sustained multiple hull breaches, flooding, and cargo-system damage; repairs totaled $4.5 million.
- The vessel was refloated after cargo lightering and returned to commercial service on 6 August 2016.
Narrative
On 26 May 2016, Roger Blough departed Superior, Wisconsin, for Conneaut, Ohio, carrying 45,093 tons of taconite iron ore pellets. The next morning, it approached the eastern end of Lake Superior and the entry to the St. Marys River. The laker Tim S. Dool had lost electrical power and propulsion, and the tug Anglian Lady, assisted by W. I. Scott Purvis, was towing it toward Sault Sainte Marie. Fog was present and an additional lookout was posted on Roger Blough’s bow.
At 11:30, the second mate and an able seaman took over the navigational watch. At 11:38, the second mate made the mandatory position report to VTS St. Marys River and was told that the tow was about 4.9 miles from Gros Cap Reefs Light. At 12:11, he proposed overtaking the tow, and the arrangement was confirmed at 12:32. Roger Blough was making about 14.5 mph and was positioned on the left side of the channel for the passing maneuver. The master had instructed the mates to reduce speed north of the light and again when abreast of it, but the second mate did not slow the vessel as directed.
At 13:10, Roger Blough’s centerline was at the outer edge of the left side of the Birch Point Course channel, with the port side outside the channel. Its speed began to decrease. At about 13:12, the vessel crossed a charted 30-foot depth curve near Gros Cap Reefs and struck the bottom. Its heading shifted about 8 degrees to port, and it continued forward for approximately two minutes, dragging the hull another ship length over bedrock before coming to rest.
The crew immediately sounded the tanks. At 13:24, the second mate reported the grounding to VTS, which alerted Coast Guard Sector Sault Sainte Marie. The Coast Guard activated its Incident Command System for the response and salvage operation, and Transport Canada was notified because the vessel came to rest on the US-Canada border. Cargo lightering took place on 6 and 7 June, after which the vessel was refloated. Temporary repairs at anchorage and permanent repairs at a Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, shipyard totaled $4.5 million. Roger Blough returned to commercial service on 6 August 2016.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|---|
| 2016-05-26 | Roger Blough departed Superior, Wisconsin, for Conneaut, Ohio, loaded with taconite iron ore pellets. |
| 2016-05-27 11:30 local | The second mate and an able seaman took over the navigational watch about 24.5 miles from Gros Cap Reefs Light. |
| 2016-05-27 11:38 local | The second mate made the mandatory position report to VTS St. Marys River. |
| 2016-05-27 12:11 local | The second mate proposed overtaking the Anglian Lady tow. |
| 2016-05-27 12:32 local | Overtaking arrangements were confirmed for Birch Point Course. |
| 2016-05-27 13:10 local | Roger Blough’s centerline was at the outer edge of the left side of the channel and its speed began to slow. |
| 2016-05-27 13:12 local | The vessel crossed a charted 30-foot depth curve and grounded near Gros Cap Reefs. |
| 2016-05-27 13:24 local | The crew reported the grounding to VTS St. Marys River, which alerted the Coast Guard. |
| 2016-06-06 to 2016-06-07 | Cargo lightering was conducted and Roger Blough was refloated. |
| 2016-08-06 | The vessel returned to commercial service after repairs. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Failure to use navigational resources | Confirmed finding | NTSB identified the second mate’s failure to use all navigational resources to determine the vessel’s position as the probable cause. |
| Inadequate VTS monitoring | Confirmed finding | VTS watchstanders told investigators that they were unaware the vessel was standing into danger until the crew reported the grounding; NTSB identified inadequate monitoring as a contributing factor. |
| Bridge watch not actively engaged in navigation | Confirmed finding | NTSB found that company policy called for two licensed deck officers in restricted-waterway navigation and that the master and observing captain were not actively engaged in safe navigation at the time. |
| Squat at speed in shallow water | Suspected | NTSB could not determine the precise effect of squat, but considered it likely that the vessel’s full speed in shallow water increased squat and exacerbated the dangerous channel-edge position. |
Investigation
The National Transportation Safety Board completed marine investigation DCA16FM040 and published Marine Accident Brief NTSB/MAB-17/25 on 6 July 2017. The brief was reissued on 11 August 2017 with a correction to page 5. NTSB determined that the probable cause was the second mate’s failure to use all navigational resources to determine the ship’s position near shallow water at Gros Cap Reefs. It identified inadequate monitoring by VTS St. Marys River as a contributing factor. The report concluded that low lake water and aids to navigation were not factors in the grounding. After the accident, the operator set speed restrictions, amended bridge-watch and passage-planning procedures, and expanded ECPINS training.
References
- NTSB investigation page: Grounding of Freighter Roger Blough
- NTSB Marine Accident Brief NTSB/MAB-17/25
- NTSB public docket DCA16FM040