96012 Near Miss Crossing PSC CANARY

 Port to Starboard Crossing
Canary Islands
Wind North Force 5, Excellent Visibility

Report No. 96012

Although not part of the ship's complement, I recently had the chance to be on the bridge of a large container ship which was steaming on a courseof 0120 T at a speed of 18 knots. At approximately 2100 a crossing vessel bore 3440 T at a distance of 9.0 miles. The ARPA indicated a CPA of zeroand a TCPA of 2125, target vessel on a course of 1030 T with a speed of10 knots. When the target vessel bore 3440 T at a distance of 6 miles, theOOW attempted to communicate by VHF. No answer was received, however, duringthe next five minutes the ARPA indicated that the vessel had altered some400 to PORT and was now steering 0650, speed still 10 knots. This alterationof course now indicated a new CPA of 1 mile ahead of our vessel. A shortwhile later the target vessel altered course again, this time 300 to STARBOARD,giving a CPA of 0.5 miles. With the target vessel at a distance of 4 milesand on a steady bearing, the OOW called the Master to the bridge.

The bearing remained steady until 2120 when, at a distance of 2 miles,the Master ordered "Hard a Starboard". When our vessel had turnedto starboard and was passing parallel through the target vessel's intendedcourse, she was now on the port quarter, the distance off was 4 cables.No communication or signals were sent by the crossing vessel which appearedto be a small bulk carrier set on a course to pass north of Gran Canaria.

The OOW had called the helmsman at 2100 and the Master, on taking overthe conning of the vessel, instructed the OOW to inform the duty engineerof a possible emergency turn. At the time of the emergency turn the stabiliserswere in operation. Other vessels in the vicinity were another vessel 5 milesahead also proceeding northwards and a well lit ferry proceeding from Teneriffetowards Gran Canaria. The Ferry was approximately 3 miles astern of thecrossing vessel and just prior to our emergency turn had altered courseto starboard to pass clear of own ship. The helm was eased when passingthrough 1800 T until the ARPA showed that the ferry had returned to heroriginal course.

Although this is not mentioned in the report, a VHF call to inform the ferry of the intention to make an emergency turn to starboard and making the appropriate sound signals would no doubt helped to avoid exacerbating this situation.