Classification
- Incident Type: Collision
- Severity: Medium
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | Capt. Shorty C / Jackie |
| Vessel Names | Capt. Shorty C / Jackie / Kirby 29116 / Kirby 30040B / EMS 344 / EMS 343 |
| Vessel Type | Tug |
| Flag State | United States [US] |
| IMO Number | |
| Official Number | 530861 |
| Gross Tonnage | 199 |
| LOA (m) | 26.8 |
| Breadth (m) | 9.4 |
| Year Built | 1971 |
| Owner/Operator | Kirby Inland Marine LP |
| Power (kW) | 1790 |
| Crew Size | 8 |
Jackie was a United States-flag towing vessel with official number 1171264, built in 2005, 136 gross tons, 23.4 m long and crewed by five people. Capt. Shorty C pushed Kirby 29116 and Kirby 30040B; Jackie pushed EMS 344 and EMS 343.
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | 2015-07-20 |
| Location | Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, mile marker 349.5, near Port Bolivar, Texas |
| Coordinates | 29.3700, -94.7850 |
| Region | United States |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Missing | 0 |
| Direct Damage | Three tank barges damaged; towboats undamaged |
| Economic Damage | USD 608,000 |
Key facts
- The collision occurred at 0102 central daylight time near mile marker 349.5 of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway at Port Bolivar, Texas.
- Capt. Shorty C was eastbound with Kirby 29116 and Kirby 30040B; Jackie was westbound with EMS 344 and EMS 343.
- Kirby 29116 struck EMS 344 and then EMS 343. Escaping naphtha vapors from EMS 343 ignited after the collision.
- The towboats were not damaged, while three barges sustained estimated damage totaling USD 608,000.
- The NTSB determined that the operators' attempt to meet where strong currents and shoaling were known hazards was the probable cause; no injuries or pollution were reported.
Narrative
On 20 July 2015, Capt. Shorty C was eastbound from Corpus Christi toward Theodore, Alabama, pushing the tank barges Kirby 29116 and Kirby 30040B. Jackie was westbound from Chalmette, Louisiana, toward Houston, Texas, pushing the tank barges EMS 344 and EMS 343. Each Kirby barge carried about 25,000 barrels of cumene, and each EMS barge carried about 25,000 barrels of naphtha.
The two towing vessels agreed by VHF radio to pass port-to-port, but they did not identify an exact meeting point. The relevant entrance to the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway was known for strong currents and shoaling, and published Coast Pilot guidance advised against eastbound and westbound tows meeting there. As the vessels approached, Capt. Shorty C was crabbing to counter the current and experienced shallow-water handling difficulty.
At 0102 central daylight time, the lead barge of the Capt. Shorty C tow, Kirby 29116, struck the port side of Jackie's lead barge, EMS 344, and then collided with EMS 343. During the approach, the Capt. Shorty C pilot attempted to shift the starboard engine astern, but it unexpectedly shut down and affected the towboat's ability to correct its heading. The engine restarted after about 20 seconds, but the collision was already imminent.
The collision separated the EMS barges. A steel deck support penetrated the overhead of EMS 343's no. 3 starboard cargo tank, allowing naphtha vapors to escape. The vapors ignited in the stern box area, where sparks were generated by the contact between the steel vessels. Kirby 29116, EMS 343 and EMS 344 sustained damage; the towboats did not. The NTSB estimated total property damage at USD 608,000. No injuries, pollution or environmental damage were reported.
The NTSB concluded that the probable cause was the operators' decision to meet in a location where strong currents and shoaling made the passage unsafe, contrary to published waterway guidance. The report also identified the misunderstood meeting arrangement and the loss of the starboard engine during the approach as important parts of the collision sequence.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|---|
| 2015-07-20 | Capt. Shorty C and Jackie approached the Bolivar entrance after agreeing by radio to pass port-to-port without identifying an exact meeting point. |
| 2015-07-20 01:02 local | Kirby 29116 struck EMS 344 and then EMS 343 near mile marker 349.5. |
| 2015-07-20 after the collision | Naphtha vapors from EMS 343 ignited in the stern box area. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Unsafe meeting location | Confirmed finding | The NTSB found that the operators attempted to meet where strong currents and shoaling were known hazards, contrary to published guidance. |
| Misunderstood passing arrangement | Confirmed finding | The tows agreed port-to-port but did not identify an exact meeting point as they approached the restricted area. |
| Current and shallow-water handling | Confirmed finding | Capt. Shorty C was crabbing against the current and reported difficulty controlling the tow in shallow water. |
| Temporary starboard-engine shutdown | Reported | The starboard engine unexpectedly shut down during an astern maneuver and affected Capt. Shorty C's ability to correct its heading before restarting. |
Investigation
The National Transportation Safety Board investigated the casualty as DCA15FM027 and published Marine Accident Brief MAB-16/05 on 28 April 2016. It determined that the probable cause was the operators' attempt to meet in a location known for strong currents and shoaling, contrary to published guidance for the waterway. The report also documents the misunderstood radio arrangement, the temporary engine shutdown, the barge damage and the post-collision fire.