200115 Action by the Stand On Vessel

Action by the Stand On Vessel
Report No. 200115

I hope that the following will provide some enlightenment into the application of Rule 17 of the COLREGS. In particular, I refer to the options available when a power driven vessel on your own port side fails to give way. When considering my course of action in such a situation, I always have a quote from Cahill's Collisions and their Causes" (Fairplay 1983) in the back of my mind: "Alterations to port, except in the agony of in extremis, are viewed by Admiralty Courts in much the same way that the local ladies' sewing circle views social disease."

INCIDENT 1

A few years ago I was the Navigator on a Fremantle Class Patrol Boat entering Singapore Strait from the east. About 10 minutes after taking the "con" of the ship, I noticed that one of the vessels departing the TSS had altered to port and was closing on my port bow. Initially I was not overly concerned as I was the last in a long line of ships entering the TSS and assumed that the departing vessel (a small container ship) would adjust her course and pass astern of me. However she continued to close on a steady bearing. I plotted her relative track on the radar and confirmed that her CPA was indeed zero.

The vessel continued to close without taking any action to avoid collision, so, having reduced speed, then sounded 5 short blasts, I finally resorted to taking all way off (sounding a further 3 short blasts as I did so) and continued to monitor the other vessel as she attempted to pass ahead. The other vessel was right ahead of me when the Captain and I were astounded to see the vessel alter course to starboard. With the use of emergency power I managed execute a hard turn to starboard and avoid the other vessel. She passed down my port side and through the knuckle left in my wake.

With the benefit of hindsight, the CO and I realised that, rather than taking all way off, our safest option would have been to alter course to starboard and parallel the course of the other vessel, or, alternatively, conduct a 360 degree turn to starboard. The only reason that collision was avoided was due to the high manoeuvrability of the Patrol Boat. A larger and more cumbersome vessel would surely have been unable to increase speed and conduct the hard turn that we did.

INCIDENT 2

The second incident happened under almost identical circumstances one week later. Once again I was on watch entering the Singapore Strait from the east during the morning. The only difference was that my starboard engine was unavailable, thereby limiting my speed and manoeuvrability. Fortunately my ability to turn to starboard was the least affected direction.

This time, instead of a small container vessel, the outward bound vessels were two large rig tenders in line astern, transiting in company to the oil rigs. Once again, there was no appreciable bearing change and the CPA was zero. With the events of the previous week still fresh in my mind and cognisant of my limited manoeuvrability, I reduced speed and altered to starboard, instead of taking all way off - in effect, I ran away. Both vessels subsequently passed safely down my port side and I continued my turn until I resumed my base course.

I have every consideration for those navigating large vessels and appreciate the difficulties they may experience when trying to alter course. However, in both of the above incidents, no vessel could realistically be termed large by today's standards. Given that, in both cases, I was the last in a line of vessels entering the TSS, an alteration of course to starboard by as little as 10 degrees would have made the give way vessels pass safely astern of me. There can be no excuse for the behaviour of the other vessels involved in the incidents and to this day I cannot fathom why any Officer of the Watch would knowingly place his/her ship in such a dangerous situation. On the other hand, I learnt some valuable lessons:

1. Stopping is not always the best answer in a close quarters situation, and
2. If you have the sea room, a turn to starboard will make it hard for the other vessel to hit you.

Finally, the reasoning behind Rule 17c was driven home - don't alter course to port for a vessel on your own port side.

Having spent many years on ferries, I can endorse the sentiments expressed in this report. Discretion is the better part of valour and it is often better to make a substantial course alteration than to stop the vessel and become a "sitting duck".