Classification
- Incident Type: Collision
- Severity: Medium
- Primary Source: MAIB GOV.UK page and PDF
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | ACX Hibiscus |
| Vessel Type | Container |
| Flag State | Panama [PA] |
| IMO Number | 9159141 |
| Call Sign | 3FLV7 |
| Gross Tonnage | 18502 |
| LOA (m) | 193.0 |
| Breadth (m) | |
| TEU | 1675 |
| Year Built | |
| Crew Size | 21 |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | 2011-12-11 |
| Time | 07:56 local time |
| Location | 8nm ENE of the start of the Eastern Singapore Strait Traffic Separation Scheme |
| Coordinates | |
| Region | South China Sea |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Missing | 0 |
| Outcome | ACX Hibiscus and Hyundai Discovery collided in restricted visibility; both vessels sustained structural damage, five containers were lost overboard, and no injuries or fatalities were reported. |
| Direct Damage | |
| Estimated Economic Damage |
Key facts
- ACX Hibiscus was a Panama-flagged container ship; Hyundai Discovery was a UK-flagged container ship.
- The collision occurred at 07:56 local time on 11 December 2011, 8 nautical miles east-northeast of the start of the eastern Singapore Strait Traffic Separation Scheme.
- ACX Hibiscus turned across traffic without ensuring it was safe to alter course, while Hyundai Discovery's bridge team relied on VHF radio rather than immediately taking bold avoiding action.
- ACX Hibiscus's bow and forward spaces were heavily damaged. Hyundai Discovery's No. 2 port wing ballast tank was holed, five 40-foot containers were lost overboard, and other containers, securing gear, and the accommodation ladder structure were damaged.
- MAIB recorded nil fatalities and injuries. Its access to primary evidence from ACX Hibiscus was limited by the owner's refusal to grant full access.
Narrative
According to MAIB, ACX Hibiscus departed Singapore for Laem Chabang and Hyundai Discovery was inbound for Singapore. Both vessels encountered heavy rain and restricted visibility in the approaches to the eastern Singapore Strait Traffic Separation Scheme. ACX Hibiscus's chief officer did not acquire Hyundai Discovery on ARPA and turned to the north to follow the vessel's planned route without first checking it was safe to alter course.
MAIB states that Hyundai Discovery's chief officer saw the developing situation but began calling ACX Hibiscus on VHF radio rather than immediately taking the bold starboard action that later simulations indicated could have avoided the collision. At 07:56 local time the vessels collided. ACX Hibiscus suffered heavy bow and forward-space damage. Hyundai Discovery's No.2 port wing ballast tank was holed above and below the waterline, five 40-foot containers were lost overboard, other containers and securing gear were damaged, and the port accommodation ladder area was heavily deformed. No injuries were reported.
The collision occurred about 8 nautical miles east-northeast of the start of the traffic separation scheme. The report records structural damage to both ships but does not provide a normalized monetary loss estimate. It also notes that MAIB's access to primary evidence from ACX Hibiscus was obstructed by the owner's refusal to grant full access, limiting the investigation's ability to resolve some underlying detail from that vessel.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|---|
| 2011-12-11 | ACX Hibiscus departed Singapore for Laem Chabang; Hyundai Discovery was inbound for Singapore. |
| 2011-12-11 | Heavy rain and restricted visibility affected the approaches to the eastern Singapore Strait TSS. |
| 2011-12-11 07:56 local | ACX Hibiscus and Hyundai Discovery collided. |
| 2011-12-11 | Five Hyundai Discovery containers were lost overboard; both vessels sustained structural damage and no injuries were reported. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Restricted visibility | Confirmed finding | Heavy rain and restricted visibility complicated detection and assessment of the developing encounter. |
| ACX Hibiscus course alteration | Confirmed finding | The chief officer did not acquire Hyundai Discovery on ARPA before turning north across traffic. |
| Reliance on VHF by Hyundai Discovery | Confirmed finding | The bridge team began calling ACX Hibiscus instead of immediately taking the bold avoiding action identified by MAIB's simulations. |
| Limited primary evidence | Confirmed finding | The owner's refusal to grant full access limited MAIB's ability to resolve some details from ACX Hibiscus. |
Investigation
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch published Serious Marine Casualty Report No. 15/2013 on 19 June 2013. MAIB attributed the collision to ineffective watchkeeping in restricted visibility, including ACX Hibiscus turning across traffic without ensuring it was safe and Hyundai Discovery's bridge team relying on VHF instead of immediate avoiding action. The report did not provide a normalized economic-damage figure.
References
- MAIB source note
- MAIB report: ACX Hibiscus and Hyundai Discovery