Classification
- Incident Type: Collision
- Severity: Medium
Vessel Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | Polaris |
| Vessel Names | Polaris / Tofteviken |
| Vessel Type | Fishing Vessel |
| Flag State | United States [US] |
| IMO Number | 9097111 |
| Official Number | 1198545 |
| Gross Tonnage | 165 |
| LOA (m) | 27.6 |
| Breadth (m) | 8.5 |
| Year Built | 2007 |
| Owner/Operator | O'Hara Corporation |
| Crew Size | 7 |
Tofteviken particulars
- Type: Oil tanker
- Flag: Bahamas
- IMO number: 9285847
- Gross tonnage: 62,806 ITC
- Length: 249.9 m
- Breadth: 43.8 m
- Year built: 2005
- Owner / operator: Tofteviken LLC / Wallem Ship Management Group
- Persons on board: 25
Incident Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Date | 2018-05-12 |
| Location | Atlantic Ocean, about 30 miles south of Montauk, Long Island, New York |
| Coordinates | 40.523333, -71.963000 |
| Region | United States |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Missing | |
| Outcome | Both vessels sustained hull damage; no injuries or pollution were reported. |
| Investigation Body | NTSB |
| Direct Damage | |
| Estimated Economic Damage | USD 716,047 |
Key facts
- The vessels collided at about 1913 eastern daylight time during daylight and good visibility.
- Polaris was returning to New Bedford after fishing; Tofteviken was carrying a partial load of crude oil toward an oil refinery in Linden, New Jersey.
- No injuries or pollution were reported, and neither vessel was taking on water after the collision.
- Both vessels sustained hull damage with total property damage of USD 716,047; no Tofteviken cargo tank was damaged.
- The NTSB attributed the collision to lookout failure on Polaris and failure to identify the collision risk on Tofteviken.
Narrative
On 12 May 2018, Polaris was returning to New Bedford after completing a scallop-fishing trip. The vessel was proceeding northeast on autopilot at about 10 knots. Its mate had taken the watch at 1600 and was cleaning the pilothouse while the other six people aboard were below. Tofteviken, a Bahamas-flagged oil tanker carrying a partial load of crude oil, was proceeding west toward Ambrose Anchorage at about 10.5 knots with 25 people aboard.
Between about 1850 and 1855, Tofteviken's third mate detected Polaris visually and on radar about 8 nautical miles away. She believed the fishing vessel had altered course and would pass astern. She placed an electronic bearing line on the target but did not acquire it with the automatic radar plotting aid or use the required guard rings. An able-bodied seaman joined her as lookout at about 1859 and shared her expectation that Polaris would pass astern. Electronic data later showed Polaris remained on a steady course as its range decreased without a change in bearing.
At 1907, the vessels were 1.8 nautical miles apart. About three minutes later, the range had closed to 0.8 nautical miles. The Tofteviken master, who was working at a bridge computer, became aware of the danger only after the chief engineer saw Polaris at close range and called out. The master ordered hand steering, a hard-starboard turn, and the whistle. The tanker began turning at 1912. On Polaris, the mate first became aware of Tofteviken when a paravane contacted the tanker's hull. His attempted turn was too late, and Polaris's bow struck Tofteviken's port side at about 1913.
After the collision, the vessels communicated by radio, confirmed that there were no injuries or flooding, and reported the casualty to the Coast Guard. Polaris remained nearby for about 20 minutes before continuing to New Bedford. Tofteviken sustained a 40-foot-by-2-foot gash into an empty port water ballast tank and scrapes along its side, but no cargo tank damage. Polaris sustained damage to its bow, port outrigger, gallows post, deck, and port side. Total property damage was USD 716,047, with no pollution reported.
Sequence of events
| Date/time | Event |
|---|---|
| 2018-05-12 16:00 local | The Polaris mate relieved the captain and took the navigation watch during the return transit to New Bedford. |
| 2018-05-12 18:50–18:55 local | Tofteviken's third mate detected Polaris visually and by radar about 8 nautical miles away but did not acquire it on ARPA. |
| 2018-05-12 about 18:59 local | An able-bodied seaman arrived on Tofteviken's bridge and assumed lookout duties. |
| 2018-05-12 19:07 local | The range closed to 1.8 nautical miles without a change in bearing. |
| 2018-05-12 about 19:10 local | The range closed to about 0.8 nautical miles; the chief engineer alerted the bridge team to Polaris at close range. |
| 2018-05-12 19:12 local | Tofteviken began turning to starboard after the master ordered hand steering and hard starboard. |
| 2018-05-12 19:13 local | Polaris's bow struck Tofteviken's port side. |
| 2018-05-12 after 19:13 local | The vessels confirmed no injuries or flooding and reported the collision to the Coast Guard. |
Contributing factors
| Factor | Evidence status | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Inadequate lookout on Polaris | Confirmed finding | The mate was occupied with cleaning, checked the radar only intermittently, and did not detect Tofteviken until contact began. |
| Incomplete use of radar tools on Tofteviken | Confirmed finding | The third mate did not acquire Polaris on ARPA or use radar guard rings as required by standing orders and company policy. |
| Failure to recognize constant bearing and decreasing range | Confirmed finding | Tofteviken's third mate expected Polaris to pass astern despite electronic data showing a steady course and developing collision risk. |
| Delayed escalation and collision-avoidance action | Confirmed finding | The third mate did not notify the master or act as the range closed; the master intervened only after the chief engineer raised the alarm. |
Investigation
The National Transportation Safety Board investigated the casualty as accident DCA18FM023 and published Marine Accident Brief MAB-19/17 on 28 June 2019. The NTSB determined that the probable cause was the Polaris mate's failure to maintain a proper lookout and the Tofteviken third mate's failure to identify the risk of collision. Its analysis also identified the Polaris mate's cleaning task and infrequent radar checks, together with the Tofteviken third mate's non-use of ARPA and guard rings, failure to notify the master, and expectation that Polaris would pass astern.
References
- NTSB Marine Accident Brief MAB-19/17: Collision between Fishing Vessel Polaris and Tanker Tofteviken