What COLREG rule was broken here (video) - 2 ships collide in Suez Canal

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by 40 South

The video only shows 1/2 the story, here's the other 1/2….

Thanks 40 S.

Interesting. Changes the perspective altogether. Sort of spreads the blame around pretty evenly. The 'rule broken' appears to be failure to make arrangements well in advance of the confluence of these channels. On the St Mary's River (Superior to Huron) AIS is the rule and the Soo Locks Control monitors all vessels over the minimum size. Report in by buoy # is required for all non-AIS large vessels. - Still, captain is required to avoid, etc.

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by OldFrog75

So this was revenge by the black ship for being forced high by the blue ship when it entered the channel?

There is an embankment to the starboard of the black ship.

[OldFrog75]

Originally Posted by jackdale

There is an embankment to the starboard of the black ship.

That isn't obvious to me in the second video. Looks like a clear and open channel.

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by OldFrog75

That isn't obvious to me in the second video. Looks like a clear and open channel.

Check the first video. 1:10

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by OldFrog75

That isn't obvious to me in the second video. Looks like a clear channel.

I think that embankment is called 'Egypt'....

If the blue ship entered the canal at too slow a speed... there was pretty much sfa that the black ship could do about avoiding a collision.

Interaction with the canal bank would throw her bow off to port like that. If my memory serves the way to turn to port in a canal such as that ( it used to be a lot narrower) was to give her a bit of starboard helm and let the interaction with the bank do the rest.

[OldFrog75]

Originally Posted by jackdale

That shows the vessel on port as overtaking, does it not?

It does but it wasn't patently obvious to me black had to alter course to avoid an obstruction. If that were the case then I guess blue's only defense was they thought black should have maintained course and speed and when she didn't, blue couldn't slow down and/or didn't have room to alter course.

[El Pinguino]

If you want to see where it happened on Cmap/openCPN etc its at 31* 11.6 N, 032*20.2' E

It is one way traffic in the canal... certainly not designed for overtaking in.... as I said before the HAPAG ship had nowhere to go. I don't think Colregs really comes into this incident.

[David M]

What normally happens is passing arrangements are made by radio by the mate, captain or pilot well ahead of time. My guess is some sort of miscommunication.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by David M

What normally happens is passing arrangements are made by radio by the mate, captain or pilot well ahead of time. My guess is some sort of miscommunication.

There is no overtaking in the canal...the maersk ship joined the convoy at the wrong speed and the wrong time ( presumeably under the instruction of the local VTS ) ... the die was cast quite some time before this collision....

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Sure would like to understand the background chatter... might be revealing.

Jim

Jim, just for you I stripped the audio from the clip, made an MP3, enhanced it a few times and ran it through 'google audio translate'.

Its the crew of a passing bumboat.... the conversation was essentially 'oh oh', 'this is going to end in tears', 'Mohammed on crutches - what a **** up' and one bloke keeps on saying 'oh **** oh ****' over and over again.....

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Jim, just for you I stripped the audio from the clip, made an MP3, enhanced it a few times and ran it through 'google audio translate'.

Its the crew of a passing bumboat.... the conversation was essentially 'oh oh', 'this is going to end in tears', 'Mohammed on crutches - what a **** up' and one bloke keeps on saying 'oh **** oh ****' over and over again.....

Gee Frank, thanks for that! And just as I suspected... that is a lot of effort you went to and I thank you.

What language was it? I'm hopeless outlside of the Romance types.

73

Jim

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by jackdale

That shows the vessel on port as overtaking, does it not?

Look at the first 3 seconds of the video and tell me what it looks like. Note the Maersk track does not update between :03 and :09.

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by avb3

Two cargo ships collide in the Suez Canal, and video of the whole incidence shows an incredible maneuver.

Let the debate begin who did what to whom and why. Guaranteed someone's service at sea career is done.

The rudder failure on one of the vessels was reported. From video - it was probably on German flagged Colombo Express (Hapag - Lloyd) as Maersk Tanjong kept her course all the time.
Intrestingly both are ones of the biggest container vessels in the world.
Actually Colombo Express was the biggest one when built several years ago and Maersk Tanjong is even bigger. Happily not much damage resulted.

Cheers,

Tom

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by DoubleWhisky

The rudder failure on one of the vessels was reported.

Where? Do you have a link? Source?

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

Where? Do you have a link? Source?

Will try to find it again. An hour ago I googled "Colombo Express container vessel" and a lot of links to collision appeared. Information regarding the rudder failure was in one of them.

Edited to add:

http://online.wsj.com/articles/two-c...nal-1412006637