The Nautical Institute draws lessons learned from an incident where challenging berth location and questionable tug services added to docking difficulty.
The incident
A cargo vessel was berthing under pilotage and with tug assistance. The berth was in a confined waterway with strong currents and shallow waters. The operation was further complicated by local regulations prohibiting tugs from fastening to the vessel, limiting them to push-assist manoeuvres only.
On the approach to the berth, the vessel was making 4.8 knots before corrective actions were initiated. Despite multiple engine manoeuvres and the eventual deployment of the port anchor, the vessel contacted the pier at a speed of 0.9 knots.
Damage to the vessel was concentrated at the starboard bow and the aft starboard quarter. The company investigation found, among other things, that a combination of environmental, operational, and systemic factors contributed to the incident. Strong currents and shallow waters were significant contributors, impeding the vessel’s manoeuvrability and amplifying the challenges posed by the angular design of the pier. These natural challenges were compounded by local regulations, which restricted tug operations to push-assist only, eliminating their ability to provide ‘pull’ support.
Communication gaps between the vessel’s bridge team, the pilot, and the tug operators were also identified as a critical factor. Additionally, the delayed deployment of the port anchor limited its capacity to counteract the vessel’s swing to starboard during the final moments of the approach.
Lessons learned
- The importance of comprehensive preberthing planning and preparation should not be underestimated.
- Open and continuous communication between the Master, pilot, and tug operators is essential for addressing the dynamic challenges associated with berthing operations.
- Regular drills focusing on emergency responses, such as timely anchor deployment and adaptive manoeuvring, are vital to ensuring that crews are prepared for similar scenarios.
