The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued an investigation report regarding the Collision between Bulk Carrier Bunun Queen and Offshore Supply Vessel Thunder that took place last July in Port Fourchon, Louisiana.
On July 23, 2022, about 1314 local time, the bulk carrier Bunun Queen, transiting eastbound in the Gulf of Mexico with 20 crewmembers on board, and the northbound offshore supply vessel Thunder collided about 66 miles south of Port Fourchon, Louisiana.
The Thunder sustained substantial damage to its port side, which resulted in the flooding of one of its propulsion rooms and three other spaces. Eleven of Thunder’s 18 crew were evacuated to a Good Samaritan vessel, and the remaining crew stayed with the vessel to control the flooding while it was towed back to port. There were no injuries, and no pollution was reported. Damage to both vessels was estimated at $12.3 million.
Analysis
The collision between the Bunun Queen and Thunder occurred in good visibility, daylight, and fair-weather conditions. Vessel traffic conditions in the area were light, with the Garwood as the only other vessel near the Bunun Queen, about 2 miles astern, heading in the same direction.
The master on the Thunder told investigators he was using a cell phone before the collision. On the Bunun Queen, the second officer told investigators he was engaged in other duties and not maintaining a lookout, while the AB normally assigned lookout duties was in his cabin resting.
As such, both the second officer of the Bunun Queen and the master of the Thunder failed to fulfil a fundamental duty required by international law for a vessel underway: to maintain a proper lookout. Therefore, neither vessel’s bridge watch officer detected the approach of the other vessel.
Leading up to the collision, while the vessels were heading toward each other, neither officer saw the other vessel, despite each vessel being clearly visible to the other.
However, because neither vessel’s crew saw (detected) the other vessel in the developing crossing situation before the collision, neither had time to assess or apply the navigation rules to avoid the collision. On both the Thunder and Bunun Queen, a single individual occupied the bridge.
Probable cause
The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the collision between the bulk carrier Bunun Queen and the offshore supply vessel Thunder was the Bunun Queen officer’s distraction due to performing non-navigational tasks and the Thunder officer’s distraction due to cell phone use, which kept both officers from keeping a proper lookout. Contributing to the casualty was the Thunder’s officer on watch not following his company’s watchkeeping policies.
Lessons learned: Distraction due to personal electronic devices
Non-operational use of cell phones and other wireless electronic devices by on-duty crewmembers in safety-critical positions has been a factor in casualties and
accidents in all transportation modes.
Using cell phones and other personal electronic devices has been demonstrated to be visually, manually, and cognitively distracting.
Non-operational use of cell phones should never interfere with the primary task of a watch stander or a bridge team member to maintain a proper lookout. It is important for personnel to follow established protocols regarding cell phone use.
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