200027 Double Whammy
Double Whammy
Report No. 200027
Own ship was a large container ship en route from Dover Strait to Texel TSS at about 23 knots. On passing NHR SE buoy two ships were seen crossing from the direction of Felixstowe bound for the Maas Approach TSS. Both vessels were on a collision course and the closest, a regular Ro-Ro vessel was overtaking the further, smaller vessel as we approached.
|
At about 3 miles or more, the Ro-Ro altered to starboard, showed a clear red light and eventually passed astern of me. The smaller vessel stood on. Despite repeated attempts to gain his attention, he continued to stand on and I was forced to take avoiding action by turning to starboard. The offending vessel subsequently maintained her course throughout although attempts to contact her continued. The avoiding action which I had taken forced me into the deep water anchorage No. 2. Fortunately there were no anchored ships there at the time but my actions did concern a group of three trawlers, one of which was trawling across my bow from starboard. A further small alteration of course to starboard cleared this hazard but put me in contention with a vessel presumably heading from Steenbank Pilot Station to the Haisborough Channel straight through the deep water anchorage. By the time that I had cleared astern of this vessel I was well over towards the middle of the anchorage and needed to set a course of North to regain the north east bound lane. |
|
Soon after I had regained the route, another vessel was sighted crossing from port to starboard just south of the North Hinder North Racon Buoy, with a CPA of almost zero and who once again stood on. This time however, the effects of the signalling lamp pointing at him and the illumination of the main deck lights along the hatch coamings as the reefer containers were about to be checked, had the desired effect and the vessel executed a neat round turn to port and passed astern. The annoying part is the fact that, had the first rule breaker altered course as required, I would have enjoyed a trouble free run up the route.