Classification
- Incident Type: Collision
- Severity: Medium
- Vessels involved: Bulk carrier and vehicle carrier
Vessel Details
| Vessel | Type | Source-grounded details |
|---|---|---|
| Maraki | Bulk Carrier | Maltese flag; IMO 9104158; 15,950 gross tons; 169.51 m LOA; 25.50 m breadth; built in 1994; carrying 16,901 tonnes of sunflower seed. |
| Ivory Arrow | Ro-Ro / Car Carrier | Bahamas flag; vehicle carrier that had departed Antwerp and was bound for the Suez Canal. |
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | 2015-12-05 |
| Location | Crossing between Dover Strait TSS and West Hinder TSS |
| Coordinates | 51.370000, 2.141667 |
| Region | English Channel |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Missing | 0 |
| Damage | Structural damage to both vessels; no repair cost or wider economic estimate was reported |
Key facts
- The collision occurred at 00:04 UTC on 5 December 2015 at 51°22.2′N, 002°08.5′E.
- Maraki was northbound in the Dover Strait TSS and was the give-way vessel in the crossing situation.
- Both bridge teams had radar or AIS awareness of the developing close-quarters situation and the vessels were in sight of one another.
- Maraki altered to starboard late, while Ivory Arrow altered to port after its officer of the watch believed Maraki was not taking the required action.
- Maraki sustained extensive starboard-side structural damage and Ivory Arrow sustained damage to its starboard transom; no injuries or pollution were reported.
Narrative
During the night of 4 to 5 December 2015, the Maltese bulk carrier Maraki was proceeding northbound through the Dover Strait traffic separation scheme with a cargo of 16,901 tonnes of sunflower seed bound for Amsterdam. The Bahamas-flagged vehicle carrier Ivory Arrow had departed Antwerp and was proceeding through the West Hinder traffic separation scheme toward the Suez Canal. Their routes crossed in the traffic-separation-scheme crossing area.
Ivory Arrow's officer of the watch acquired Maraki on radar at about 23:40 and assessed a close-quarters situation. The vessels were also in sight of one another. Under the collision regulations, Maraki was the give-way vessel because it had Ivory Arrow on its starboard side. Maraki's master began giving helm orders to starboard at about 23:59, but the alteration was late and did not produce an early, substantial and readily apparent maneuver.
Ivory Arrow's officer of the watch expected Maraki to take action as the give-way vessel. He did not recognize immediately that Maraki had begun turning to starboard. As the distance closed, he ordered Ivory Arrow's helm hard to port, apparently assuming that Maraki would maintain its course. Maraki's master then saw the vessels turning toward one another and ordered hard to port, but the collision had become unavoidable. Neither vessel sounded the prescribed maneuvering or warning signal while the collision-avoidance actions were developing.
At 00:04 UTC on 5 December, Maraki's starboard bow grazed the starboard quarter of Ivory Arrow at 51°22.2′N, 002°08.5′E. Both masters sounded the alarm and called their emergency stations. Maraki was briefly stopped to inspect its damage and then continued under control. Its starboard shell plating, longitudinals, forecastle bulwark and main-deck structures were extensively damaged, including damage around cargo hold no. 5 and cargo hatch no. 1. Ivory Arrow sustained damage to the starboard transom corner and associated internal structural members. No injuries or pollution were reported, and neither vessel required emergency assistance.
Transport Malta's investigation concluded that the close-quarters situation developed with Maraki crossing Ivory Arrow's course, that Maraki did not take timely give-way action, and that Ivory Arrow's port alteration was inconsistent with the collision regulations. The report also identified the absence of sound signals, limited bridge-team support on Ivory Arrow and assumptions about the other vessel's maneuver as factors in the deteriorating situation. It recommended that both companies circulate the report and reinforce the hazards of allowing a crossing situation to develop into close quarters.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|---|
| 2015-12-04 about 23:40 UTC | Ivory Arrow acquired Maraki on radar and assessed a close-quarters situation. |
| 2015-12-04 about 23:59 UTC | Maraki's master began ordering a starboard alteration. |
| 2015-12-05 shortly before 00:04 UTC | Ivory Arrow altered to port and Maraki later ordered hard to port as the collision became unavoidable. |
| 2015-12-05 00:04 UTC | Maraki and Ivory Arrow collided at 51°22.2′N, 002°08.5′E. |
| 2015-12-05 after collision | Both crews called emergency stations; damage inspections found structural damage but no injuries or pollution. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Late give-way action by Maraki | Confirmed finding | Maraki was the give-way vessel but did not make an early and substantial alteration to starboard. |
| Ivory Arrow's port alteration | Confirmed finding | Ivory Arrow altered to port while Maraki was on its port side, contrary to the applicable crossing-situation rule. |
| Lack of maneuvering signals | Confirmed finding | Neither vessel sounded the prescribed signal to make its maneuver clear or warn of uncertainty. |
| Incomplete bridge-team support | Reported | The report identified the absence of a dedicated lookout and limited team support on Ivory Arrow as likely contributors to situational-awareness problems. |
| Assumptions about the other vessel | Confirmed finding | Each bridge team formed expectations about the other vessel's action instead of ensuring a clear, coordinated avoidance maneuver. |
Investigation
Transport Malta's Marine Safety Investigation Unit published report 21/2016, MV Maraki Collision with MV Ivory Arrow in the TSS Crossing between Dover Strait and West Hinder TSS. The report analyzed the crossing situation, COLREGS actions, lookout, bridge-team support and sound signals, and issued a recommendation to the managers of both vessels to circulate the report and reinforce close-quarters awareness.