Fishing Vessel Hits Tanker While Helmsman Leaves Bridge For Head Call

A fishing vessel’s helmsman has been fined for leaving the bridge unattended, which caused a collision with a docked tanker off IJmuiden, Netherlands. The incident caused major damage and a small spill.

The accident occurred on the night of September 28, 2022, when the fishing vessel Joris Senior, measuring 150 feet, returned to IJmuiden after a week of fishing in the North Sea.

The vessel had six crew members on board, and a substitute captain was at the helm during the journey. However, no designated lookout was on duty at this time.

At 2200 hours, the helmsman decided to divert from the captain’s planned course, taking the vessel out of the traffic separation system and through an anchorage area. When asked about his decision, he explained that it was to bypass the busy route and arrive sooner.

As the vessel approached the anchorage at 10 knots, the helmsman spotted the nearby tanker Golden Daisy and estimated the closest point of approach to be 0.3 nautical miles. He decided to leave the bridge to use the restroom, thinking there was no chance of collision.

In his statement to the disciplinary board, the helmsman said that he did not fall asleep but had left the bridge for about five minutes to attend to a personal need.

Upon his return, he found that the Joris Senior had collided with the Golden Daisy.

At 0026 hours, the fishing vessel hit the tanker’s hull above the waterline, causing damage to the tanker’s sludge tank and releasing about three cubic meters of sludge into the water.

The Joris Senior also sustained damage to its bow. Fortunately, no one was hurt during the incident.

The disciplinary board found that the helmsman had seriously failed in his responsibilities. They reported that traveling through the anchorage area required constant caution, especially when the tanker was nearby.

The board concluded that the helmsman should have ensured that someone was on the bridge to relieve him before leaving. They added that the possibility of a collision should have been obvious, given the 0.3-mile closest point of approach.

The helmsman was fined €1,500 for his actions. The fine could have been higher, but the board considered his financial situation, as he had a family to take care of and suffered injuries in the collision that prevented him from working.

The helmsman had already been fined €1,500 for acting as an unlicensed substitute skipper during the journey.

The board also addressed the issue of fatigue among fishing workers, especially after a week of intense fishing. They advised operators to pay closer attention to their crews’ watchstanding practices to avoid similar accidents in the future.

Reference: Informarine