Hydrodynamic forces contributed to collision between two ships on Welland Canal
Posted August 29, 2022 11:13 am.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has ruled a crash between two ships in the Welland Canal in July of 2020 was caused by hydrodynamic forces combined with the proximity to the bank.
The incident on July 11 near Port Robinson when the dry bulk cargo ship Alanis, which was carrying windmill parts to Duluth, Minnesota, collided during a passing maneuver with the Florence Spirit, which was carrying coal on its way to Quebec.
There were no injuries or pollution to the canal reported at the time of the incident. Both of the ships sustained extensive structural damage to their hulls.
Dramatic video was also captured of the two ships colliding in the canal.
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An investigation showed that instant messages between the master of the Florence Spirit and the pilot of the Alanis had influenced the Florence Spirit’s speed and course alteration.
This contributed to the master’s attention being diverted from “coordinating the meeting with his own bridge team and excluded other bridge team members from having safety-critical information.”
TSB said “diffused responsibility” between the master and piloting master on the Florence Spirit prevented proper communication with the bridge team members. This affected their ability to detect the hydrodynamic forces on the ship.
The increased hydrodynamic forces reduced the Florence Spirit’s ability to maintain steering control and when combined with the proximity to the bank put the vessel “uncontrollably to port into the path of the Alanis and collided with it.”
Since the incident, the TSB issued a Marine Safety Advisory to the Florence Spirit’s representative and conducted an inspection, identifying deficiencies in their quality and safety management system.
The ship’s representative, McKeil Marine, has since reviewed the incident and an international investigation report has been shared with all the masters.
