200047 A "Close Shave" in Anchorage

A "Close Shave" in Anchorage
Report No. 200047

Our ship, a fully laden ULCC, was laying at anchor with fenders on the port side awaiting a work boat. A partly laden VLCC was talking to the pilot as she approached the anchorage. She received instructions from the pilot to go to anchor as no berth was available. At that time she was approximately 2 miles from us. At a distance of 1.5 miles she altered course to cross our bow. The ARPA gave a bow crossing distance of 3 cables. The radar scanner is fitted aft, a distance of 325 metres from the bow, hence the other ship was attempting to pass only 1 cable ahead of our ship with 8½ shackles of anchor chain in the water.

The following conversation then took place on VHF:

Own ship "VLCC I see that you are going to cross my bow at less than 2 cables. Please state your intentions".

VLCC "Don't worry my friend I am just going to anchor".

Own ship "Do you think it is safe to pass so close when you have ample sea room"?

There was no answer to this question. Perhaps he had realised how foolish he was being as was therefore too embarrassed to answer. I was soon to find out how wrong I was. A few hours later in the day a frantic sounding of the ship's whistle made me look out and find the same ship crossing the bows again in exactly the same situation. The person I had spoken to on the VHF in the morning was the Captain so I am unable to understand if it was a lack of grasp of the situation, sheer recklessness or plain stupidity. Perhaps it was the way he had been taught.