The Commodore: Crew Feedback and Vessel Data

On October 25, 2022, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued a report detailing the grounding incident of the ferry 'Commodore' that occurred on June 5, 2021, in New York City. The investigation revealed that a software malfunction, coupled with the captain’s failure to utilize back-up controls, was at the heart of the grounding. While the vessel was navigating northbound on the East River, it unexpectedly lost primary steering and speed control of both port hull water jets, leading to its grounding near Bushwick Inlet. At the time of the incident, there were seven crew members and 107 passengers aboard, of whom one sustained minor injuries. The grounding inflicted approximately $2.5 million in damages to the ferry, which was en route on its second trip of the day from Sandy Hook, New Jersey, to a New York City Ferry Terminal. The incident unfolded shortly after the ferry passed under the Brooklyn Bridge when an alarm alerted the crew to a control failure for the port water jets. The captain made multiple attempts to reconnect the port jets through the primary control system, first trying to reduce speed and then attempting to operate in reverse. However, only the starboard hull's engines and water jets responded. This resulted in the ferry turning towards the starboard and gradually slowing down before it entered the eastern side of the river and approached a narrow entry to Bushwick Inlet. Less than two minutes after the alarm, the ferry ran aground, breaching the port hull upon striking submerged pilings, which led to seawater flooding into the engine room. NTSB investigators concluded that the captain did not engage the back-up control system, which could have mitigated the consequences of the primary control failure. They also identified a gap in the company's safety management protocols, which failed to adequately address control system failure scenarios or effectively train the crew on responding to loss of propulsion or steering control. Further investigation revealed that the primary control system's software produced an unusually high number of error messages, leading to a memory card failure that ultimately compromised the display monitor, as well as the propulsion and steering control for the port hull. In response to the incident, the manufacturer issued a service letter a month later, mandating a software update designed to rectify the issue encountered by the 'Commodore.' The NTSB found that the probable cause of the grounding was primarily due to the software flaw in the control system of the catamaran, which caused the memory card failure. Contributing factors included inadequate safety management procedures and insufficient oversight regarding crew training for emergency situations. For the full NTSB report, visit: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/MIR2225.pdf

On June 5, 2021, emergency services sprang into action when the 'Commodore', a ferry operating a route from New Jersey to New York City, ran aground in Bushwick Inlet, Brooklyn. The vessel was carrying 118 passengers and a crew of seven when it experienced a mechanical failure while traveling from Highlands, N.J., to East 35th Street in Manhattan. At approximately 4:17 p.m., the Coast Guard Sector New York command center received an urgent report indicating the ferry began to drift and eventually grounded on the shore, taking on water. In response, the Coast Guard deployed three boat crews from Coast Guard Station New York, who partnered with the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) and the New York City Police Department (NYPD) for rescue operations. All passengers and crew members were evacuated safely from the ferry, although one individual sustained minor injuries. Coast Guard members and FDNY personnel worked alongside each other to manage dewatering efforts aboard the vessel. Following the incident, Coast Guard investigators began examining the circumstances that led to the ferry's grounding. By around 3 a.m. the next day, the 'Commodore' was successfully refloated and towed back to a shipyard dry dock for further assessment. Seastreak, the ferry's operator, is collaborating with the U.S. Coast Guard to establish the cause of the mechanical issue that led to this alarming incident. For additional coverage and visuals, readers can visit NBC New York, News 24, and the New York Times.