Aonother filipino ferry disaster.

[robpage]

I am fairly sure the Second Officer took a lot of flack on that one ! Where the P & O ferry hit the yacht , a lot of innuendo and conjecture if I remember ,typical trial by press.

[Captain Kong]

I remember that case Rob,
Unless you are there and involved the press should never ever be allowed to say what they think was the cause.
That always sways future judgements.
I have seen it personaly. I reallised later what the ESSO Security men meant when they told me after the Pool Fisher disaster,
"You speak to NO one, or else."
Cheers
Brian.

[robpage]

There were some innuendos regarding alcohol , but after the Spirit of Free Enterprise I don't think any passenger ferry was alcohol tolerant , The blame on photochromic lenses to my mind was a bag of excuses , I believe that a well serviced mast head light on a yacht would be visible for a lot bigger distance than the ones reported at the enquiry . All to often the bigger ferry seems to be treated as a bully by yachtsmen who believe power should give way to sail

[Chris Allman]

I take it you guys are talking about the yacht Ouzo and the Pride of Bilbao incident where the 2nd Mate of the ferry was prosecuted.

[robpage]

To the best of my recollection he was totally cleared on the second day of the trial , but yes that is the incident .I believe There was another ship involved that had a single bridge watch keeper , and I believe South Shields College did some work on the likely events . I mentioned it only to say from an engineering point of view there. Are some bridge watch keeping situations that make the mate's job a tough one at times !

[j.sabourn]

Re. all the gloom about the continuing calamities at sea which seem to be now happening at more frequent intervals, can anyone give an update on the piracy attacks on merchant vessels during the past year. Anyone still at sea would probably be able to get this info. through the head reporting office in Singapore where all records are kept. The press unless it is a vessel of what they consider is consequence (usually a passenger vessel) do not seem to be interested on other types of vessels being attacked sometimes and in some areas on a daily basis. Cheers John Sabourn

[Tony Wilding]

i have only just heard about the Ferry disaster, it happened just outside cebu port, you would never believe the corruption here, no doubt at all where the uncounted passengers fares went to, money will buy you anything here, i have seen some of the Ferries here, have seen better in Ship Breaking Yards, not one would have a legal certificate

[Ivan Cloherty]

. All to often the bigger ferry seems to be treated as a bully by yachtsmen who believe power should give way to sail

How very true Rob, especially in Southampton/Isle of Wight waters, as mentioned a couple of years ago our solution was a couple of high powered hoses rigged from the break of the f'cle as we steamed up there, seems they didn't like getting their sails wet!

[robpage]

I was told by an Irate MAte one evening homeward bound , that as we rounded the Nab Tower , a yachtsman , a minority , amongst a generally sensible minority that we should give way to him , because of his stupidity my coffee got spilt on the control desk as we did a sharp couple of turns to get out of the idiots way . I do not know , how these fools get away with it , I firmly believe that anyone taking a boat out over ten feet long should have a licence and a driving safety test , every year some one gets rescued , or dies in the Solent night fishing , without a life jacket I hate adding more regulation to the books , but it is time something was done to save some people from themselves , and the worst offenders locally , the Jet Skiers

[John Arton]

Brian, Rob and all
Spent the last twenty years as Master trotting up and down the channel with regular calls at Fawley and can only agree with the comments regarding yacht men, the majority of whom have no idea or at least minimum idea of the COLREGS.
The biggest problem is that they quickly read the rules and as the rules state that a power driven vessel gives way to a sailing vessel they believe that rule covers all situation.
However the colregs go on to state that sailing vessels should not impede a power driven vessel that can only navigate in a narrow channel (my paraphrasing).
Problem is what is a narrow channel?
This problem is a favourite question for the MCA examiners in Newcastle for Officer of the Watch candidates taking their orals and what the examiner is after is that the sailing vessel does not impede the passage of the power driven vessel but also that the power driven vessel should navigate with caution.
The SOLENT always was a nightmare especially around COWES week and myself and the Pilots always took the view that the idiots sailing would apply the power giving way to sail rule and so we would act accordingly. For the large tankers etc. the SOLENT VTS was very good at contacting all the sailing vessels they could and warning them of the passage of a vessel restricted in its ability to manoeuvre and that they (sailing vessels) should keep out of the way.
THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS THAT SAILORS ARE NOT APPLYING OR EVEN UNDERSTANDING THE COLREGS. If you really understand and apply the COLREGS then accidents should not happen...but hey ho we all have seen ships with no one on the bridge, exhausted Officers falling asleep etc.
As for the Channel the number of Officers who do not understand the rule that at all times when crossing the lanes this HAS to be done at right angles to the general direction of traffic flow. They see the tides pushing them off the track line so start applying set to the course which then alters their aspect to approaching vessels by up to possibly 15 degrees, causing confusion. I always told my Officers that it did not bother if we ended up a mile or two away from our turn point after getting across the lanes due to set caused by current/tide, as our passage plan allowed for this, i.e. there was enough water/sea room at the turn point to arrive a few miles off it so long as at all times we had crossed at right angles.
Regarding pirates
The biggest threat now is in the Bight of Benin of Nigeria. The Somalia pirate threat is still there but has been diminished by the presence of the naval task force there. This does not allay the problem of those vessels that have been previously hi-jacked and there crews held for ransom but there are some minor movement out there to try and get them released.
There is a web site where you can get up to date information on piracy activity world wide but cannot remember its name just now.
As stated by other members in this post, until corruption in shipping can be eliminated and the industry ensures that all bridge officers reach at least the standards required by STCW (in certain countries you can still buy a ticket), then these terrible accidents will still occur.
Other factors such as lack of sufficient manning and pressures on masters to sail and/or cut corners by unscrupulous owners need to be eliminated but that is most likely to be a pipe dream for most of us who take an interest in anything maritime.
rgds
JA