Classification
- Incident Type: Grounded
- Severity: Low
- Region: Canada
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Vessel Name | Tundra |
| Vessel Type | Bulk Carrier |
| Flag State | Republic of Cyprus [CY] |
| IMO Number | 9415208 |
| Gross Tonnage | 19814 |
| LOA (m) | 185.0 |
| Crew Size | 18 |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Date | 2012-11-28 |
| Location | off Sainte-Anne-de-Sorel, Quebec, Canada |
| Region | Canada |
| Coordinates | 46.0200, -73.0100 |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Missing | |
Key facts
- Tundra departed Montreal under compulsory pilotage on 28 November 2012, bound for Halifax.
- At about 21:48 EST, the vessel passed the intended intermediate turn and grounded off Sainte-Anne-de-Sorel after exiting the navigation channel.
- Tundra was refloated on 5 December after cargo was lightened and sustained only minor damage.
- TSB identified passage-plan discrepancies, weak bridge resource management, ineffective monitoring, and likely pilot fatigue as contributing factors.
Narrative
On 28 November 2012, the bulk carrier Tundra departed Montreal under compulsory pilotage for Halifax. During the downbound transit of the St. Lawrence River, the pilot relied mainly on buoys and did not use all available navigational resources. The pilot and bridge team did not maintain a shared, continuously monitored passage plan, and planned course changes were not effectively communicated to the bridge team. At about 21:48 EST, the vessel continued past the intended intermediate turn. As it moved out of the channel, bank effect increased and Tundra grounded off Sainte-Anne-de-Sorel, Quebec.
The vessel was refloated on 5 December after cargo was lightened. The report records no injuries or pollution and describes only minor damage, including scratches, a slight buckle in one propeller blade, and a missing rudder inspection cover. The Transportation Safety Board found that weak bridge resource management, passage-plan discrepancies, limited pilot-bridge communication, and ineffective monitoring contributed to the grounding. Pilot fatigue was considered a likely contributor to reduced situational awareness.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|
| 2012-11-28 | Tundra departed Montreal under compulsory pilotage, bound for Halifax. |
| 2012-11-28 21:48 EST (approx.) | The vessel passed the intended intermediate turn and grounded off Sainte-Anne-de-Sorel after exiting the navigation channel. |
| 2012-12-05 | Tundra was refloated after cargo was lightened. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|
| Passage-plan discrepancies | Confirmed finding | The pilot’s plan and the vessel’s plan were not reconciled into a shared, continuously monitored passage plan. |
| Pilot-bridge communication | Confirmed finding | The bridge team was not kept effectively informed of planned course changes and the pilot did not use all available navigational resources. |
| Bridge resource management | Confirmed finding | Monitoring and information exchange were insufficient to detect and correct the developing deviation before the vessel left the channel. |
| Pilot fatigue | Suspected | TSB considered fatigue a likely contributor to the pilot’s reduced situational awareness. |
Investigation
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada’s final marine investigation report found that the grounding resulted from combined pilotage, bridge resource management, passage-planning, and monitoring failures. The report was released in May 2014 and also considered pilot fatigue as a likely contributing factor.
References
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