Container Ship's Evasive Action Increased Collision Risk

Damage to Saxon Onward

By The Maritime Executive 2018-07-21 21:40:08

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has released the final investigation report into the collision between the container ship Beijing Bridge and fishing vessel Saxon Onward noting that the container ship's evasive action actually increased the risk of collision. Both vessels also took action in an attempt to avoid collision but these actions were either insufficient or too late. By about 0008, Beijing Bridge was steady on a new course with a heading of 241º and was about 0.75 nautical miles to starboard of the ship’s planned track with Saxon Onward fine on the ship’s port bow. The trawler heeled over sharply to starboard and took on some water before it righted itself, passed the ship’s stern and drifted away to the north-east. There were no injuries and about six hours later the badly-damaged Saxon Onward reached Eden.
An Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigation into the collision between container ship MV Beijing Bridge and trawler FV Saxon Onward concludes both vessels saw each other in the lead-up to the collision but neither took appropriate avoiding action in time, with evasive manoeuvres by the cargo ship increasing the collision risk.