Skip to main content

Accidents

Anna Smile (2014)

On 14 July 2014, the bulk carrier Anna Smile allided with the Louis Dreyfus Grain Elevator at Woodhouse Terminal in Houston, Texas, during docking operations. The main engine did not respond reliably to maneuvering commands, and communication between the engine room, bridge team, and pilots broke down while the engine was shifted toward local control. The allision damaged the facility and Anna Smile's starboard quarter. No injuries or pollution were reported.

Classification

  • Incident Type: Allision
  • Severity: Medium

Vessel Details

FieldValue
Vessel NameAnna Smile
Other VesselsHayden II; Captain W.D. Hayden
Vessel TypeBulk Carrier
Flag StateMarshall Islands [MH]
IMO Number9280770
Gross Tonnage40524
LOA (m)225
Breadth (m)32.3
Persons on Board22, including 20 crewmembers and 2 Houston pilots

Incident Details

FieldValue
Date2014-07-14
Time05:04 local time (CDT)
LocationLouis Dreyfus Grain Elevator dock, Woodhouse Terminal, Houston, Texas
Coordinates29°43.16′ N, 95°14.22′ W
RegionUnited States
Fatalities0
Injuries0
Direct DamageUSD 2.5 million to the grain elevator; Anna Smile damage was not monetized

Key facts

  • Two Houston pilots were aboard and assist tugs Hayden II and Captain W.D. Hayden were made fast during docking.
  • The main engine failed to respond to several remote astern and ahead commands because excessive moisture affected pneumatic changeover valves.
  • Engineering personnel moved toward emergency local control without timely communication to the bridge team or pilots.
  • Anna Smile moved ahead unexpectedly while the pilots were using the tugs to control the vessel's position.
  • The grain elevator sustained about USD 2.5 million in damage. Anna Smile sustained minor scraping and a 2-inch hull inset across about 11 frames; its damage estimate was not determined.
  • No injuries or pollution were reported.

Narrative

Anna Smile arrived in Houston after a transatlantic voyage and was scheduled to load grain at the Louis Dreyfus Grain Elevator at Woodhouse Terminal. On the evening before the accident, the crew completed its pre-departure checklist, including tests of the steering system and main-engine ahead and astern functions. Two Houston pilots boarded, and two assist tugs later made fast: Hayden II at the port bow and Captain W.D. Hayden near the stern.

At about 05:04 on 14 July 2014, the vessel was approaching the dock. A stop command from the engine control room was executed, but the next astern commands did not produce the expected response. The chief engineer did not promptly tell the captain that the engine was failing to start. After a later astern start, the engine was stopped again. When the pilot ordered dead slow ahead to arrest the vessel's astern movement, the engine again failed to start remotely.

The chief engineer, third engineer, and electrician left the engine control room to change the engine to local control. The bridge team and pilots were not told that the control location had changed or what the engine status was. During the resulting confusion, the engine was started locally at dead slow ahead even though the current command was stop. It ran ahead for about a minute before the engineers stopped it.

The unintended forward movement caused Anna Smile's starboard quarter to contact the pier, rubber fender, concrete pedestal, and steel grain-elevator structure. The tugs helped arrest the movement and the vessel was secured. The facility sustained approximately USD 2.5 million in damage. Anna Smile had minor scraping and a 2-inch inset across about 30 feet of hull plating. The NTSB attributed the allision to engine-room communication failures and the absence of specific emergency engine-operation procedures and training.

Sequence of events

Date/timeEvent
2014-07-13 23:35Two Houston pilots boarded Anna Smile outside the anchorage.
2014-07-14 before 05:04Hayden II and Captain W.D. Hayden were made fast for docking assistance.
2014-07-14 about 05:00Remote astern commands failed to produce consistent engine response.
2014-07-14 about 05:04Anna Smile's starboard quarter allided with the grain-elevator dock and structure.
2014-07-14 after the allisionThe engine was stopped at local control and the vessel was secured; no pollution was reported.
2015-04-30The NTSB published Marine Accident Brief NTSB/MAB-15/08.

Contributing factors

FactorEvidence statusDescription
Moisture in the control-air systemConfirmed findingExcessive moisture prevented pneumatic changeover valves from functioning properly and caused unreliable remote engine starts.
Communication breakdownConfirmed findingEngineering personnel did not timely advise the bridge team and pilots about engine status or the move to local control.
Lack of emergency-operation proceduresConfirmed findingThe NTSB found no specific procedures and training for emergency engine operations in the circumstances encountered.
Conflicting command informationConfirmed findingThe engine was started locally using the last command known to the chief engineer even though the bridge had since ordered stop.

Investigation

The National Transportation Safety Board investigated the casualty as DCA14LM013 and published NTSB/MAB-15/08. Testing after the allision found excessive moisture in the control-air system; after the moisture was removed, the engine operated successfully. The NTSB determined that the probable cause was the engineering staff's lack of communication with the bridge team and pilots during main-engine starting-system problems, together with the absence of specific emergency engine-operation procedures and training. The report does not provide a final monetary estimate for Anna Smile's hull damage.

References