Editorial 04/07

June 11th, 2007 by JCB
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For this month’s feature I have chosen the MAIB report into a collision, grounding and sinking on the Elbe at the entrance to Brunsbuttel locks which subsequently resulted in a further collision with the wreck of the earlier incident. With all this happening within site of the relevant VTS tower it serves to highlight the risks involved in what are “routine” operations in ports. Whilst the P&I Clubs are becoming increasingly vociferous over claims resulting from what they term as “pilot error”, the very nature of our job means that we handle ships in an environment for which they were never really designed with a Master and bridge team (if such a thing actually exists) who are usually totally unfamiliar with the district being navigated. It is in these conditions that the pilot, having the conduct of the vessel, is basically operating alone and thus has the awesome responsibility for assessing and constantly reassessing the risks as elements such as other vessels manoeuvring, a cut in the predicted tide or a deterioration of the weather combine to place the vessel at the limit of its operating parameters. In such circumstances one relatively minor element can easily result in a reportable incident as was the case on the Elbe. The initial incident off Brunsbuttel resulted from a collision between a vessel excluded from pilotage requirements and a vessel under conduct of a PEC holder which has raised relevant comment about watchkeeper overload in the report. The piloted vessel collided with the wreckage of the original incident as a result of an undeclared defect on the vessel which raises other relevant points. From the P&I viewpoint although only one vessel was under the conduct of an authorised pilot it is probable that because the incident occurred within port limits the P&I Clubs involved will statistically classify the claims for all three vessels as “pilot error”. This Elbe report is also topical in that the Elbe VTS authorities refused to participate in the enquiry on legal advice!