Classification
- Incident Type: Collision
- Severity: Medium as the consequence classification; MAIB classified the event as a Serious Marine Casualty.
- Marine casualty classification: Serious Marine Casualty
Vessel Details
| Field | Paula C | Darya Gayatri |
|---|---|---|
| Vessel Name | Paula C | Darya Gayatri |
| Vessel Type | General Cargo | Bulk Carrier |
| Flag State | United Kingdom [GB] | China (Hong Kong) |
| IMO Number | 9373553 | 9591686 |
| Gross Tonnage | 2998 | 44325 |
| LOA (m) | 89.90 | 229.0 |
| Year Built | 2008 | 2012 |
| Registered owner | Carisbrooke Shipping 636 Ltd | Gayatri Shipping |
| Manager | Carisbrooke Shipping Ltd | Anglo-Eastern Ship Management Ltd |
| Persons aboard | 8 | 20 |
| Voyage | Brake to Poole, in ballast | IJmuiden to Baltimore, in ballast |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | 2013-12-11 |
| Time | Approximately 00:27 UTC |
| Location | South-west lane of the Dover Strait Traffic Separation Scheme, off the south-east coast of England |
| Coordinates | |
| Region | English Channel |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Missing | |
| Cargo Loss | |
| Physical damage | Paula C's port bridge wing, accommodation block, port liferaft davit, and port quarter; Darya Gayatri's port bow |
| Direct Damage | |
| Economic Damage | |
| Environmental impact | No pollution reported |
Key facts
- Paula C and Darya Gayatri collided in the south-west lane of the Dover Strait Traffic Separation Scheme on 11 December 2013.
- Paula C's newly qualified second officer was keeping the night watch without an additional lookout.
- After an avoidance manoeuvre involving the fishing vessel Raquel did not proceed as intended, Paula C altered into Darya Gayatri's path.
- The Dover Coastguard radio intervention was timely and well-intended but, according to MAIB, almost certainly influenced Paula C's officer of the watch into turning toward Darya Gayatri.
- Both vessels were damaged, but MAIB reported no injuries, fatalities, or pollution.
Narrative
On the night of 10-11 December 2013, Paula C was south-westbound in ballast in the Dover Strait Traffic Separation Scheme at about 11.9 knots. The master handed the bridge watch to the newly qualified second officer and left the bridge at 2305 UTC. The officer was alone and no additional lookout was posted, despite darkness, dense traffic, and the officer's limited experience.
At 0011 UTC, the officer detected the Belgian beam trawler Raquel ahead. He misclassified the fishing vessel and assessed Paula C as the give-way vessel. The officer did not effectively use the available radar ARPA or AIS information to maintain a proper lookout. Raquel began manoeuvring to clear the traffic lane, but the officer did not recognize the changes and lost situational awareness.
Shortly after 0018 UTC, Paula C altered to starboard without properly checking the starboard quarter, using an ARPA trial manoeuvre, or making a sound signal. Darya Gayatri was overtaking on Paula C's starboard side. A Dover Coastguard call asked whether Paula C intended to make a 360-degree turn. The officer adopted that question as his intended action, selected hand steering, and applied starboard helm without first confirming that the manoeuvre was safe. Darya Gayatri's officer of the watch ordered hard port helm, but neither vessel made a sound signal.
At 0026:52 UTC, Paula C's port bridge wing struck Darya Gayatri's port anchor. Paula C sustained substantial damage to its port bridge wing, accommodation block, liferaft davit, and port quarter. Darya Gayatri's port bow was holed and dented, including a gash above the waterline. Both vessels continued for repairs, and no pollution or personal injuries were reported.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|---|
| 2013-12-10 22:45 UTC | Paula C was south-westbound in the Dover Strait TSS on autopilot at approximately 11.9 knots. |
| 2013-12-10 23:05 UTC | The master left the bridge after handing the watch to the newly qualified second officer. |
| 2013-12-10 23:45 UTC | Paula C altered course at a planned waypoint. |
| 2013-12-11 00:11 UTC | The officer detected Raquel ahead and began an avoidance assessment. |
| 2013-12-11 shortly after 00:18 UTC | Paula C altered to starboard without adequately checking the starboard quarter. |
| 2013-12-11 00:23-00:24 UTC | Dover Coastguard called Paula C. |
| 2013-12-11 00:26:52 UTC | Paula C's port bridge wing struck Darya Gayatri's port anchor. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Loss of situational awareness after avoiding Raquel | Confirmed finding | MAIB found that Paula C's officer of the watch did not effectively use the available electronic aids and became uncertain about the next action. |
| Inexperienced officer of the watch | Confirmed finding | MAIB found that the newly qualified officer had not developed sufficient competence to keep the Dover Strait night watch alone. |
| No additional lookout | Confirmed finding | The officer was not supported by an additional lookout despite darkness and dense traffic. |
| Bridge-manning decision | Confirmed finding | MAIB found that the master's decision to leave the inexperienced officer alone did not account for the traffic, night conditions, or lookout requirement. |
| Dover Coastguard intervention | Reported | MAIB found the intervention timely and well-intended but almost certainly influential in the officer's decision to turn toward Darya Gayatri. |
| Failure to call the master | Confirmed finding | Neither vessel's officer of the watch called the master in time, despite standing orders requiring escalation when in doubt. |
| No sound signals | Reported | MAIB stated that an earlier sound signal might have alerted the other officer, but could not establish that it would have prevented the collision. |
Investigation
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch investigated the casualty and published Report No. 25/2014, Paula C and Darya Gayatri, a Serious Marine Casualty report. MAIB identified bridge-manning, officer competence, lookout, electronic-aid use, Coastguard communication, and watchkeeping practices as safety issues. The investigation was conducted to prevent future accidents and did not determine legal liability. Following the accident, the companies and maritime training and safety authorities took corrective actions; MAIB made no recommendations because those actions were already in progress.
References
- MAIB GOV.UK investigation record: Collision between Paula C and Darya Gayatri
- MAIB Report No. 25/2014: Paula C and Darya Gayatri