Working Conditions Aboard the Florence-Spirit

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has announced that its investigation into the collision involving the cargo vessel 'Florence Spirit' and the tanker 'Alanis' is now in the report phase. This significant incident occurred on July 11, 2020, at approximately 3:55 p.m. in the Welland Canal, where the 'Florence Spirit,' navigating toward Lake Ontario, and the 'Alanis,' which was heading toward Lake Erie, collided starboard to starboard near their anchor ports. Thankfully, all 16 crew members aboard the 'Alanis' and the 14 crew members of the 'Florence Spirit' sustained no injuries during this incident, which took place south of the East Main Street tunnel, just east of Memorial Park in Welland. The 'Florence Spirit' sustained considerable damage on its starboard side, while the 'Alanis' suffered bow damage, leading to a noticeable hole on the starboard side close to its anchor port. In the course of the investigation, three TSB investigators from the Quebec City office conducted interviews with crew members from both vessels and retrieved data from each ship's Voyage Data Recorder (VDR). The investigative process consists of three key stages: the initial field phase, where interviews and information gathering take place; the examination and analysis phase, which involves the review of records, testing, and identifying safety deficiencies; and finally, the report phase, where a confidential draft report is created and shared with stakeholders directly affected by the findings. As the case advances, the TSB aims to improve maritime safety through its comprehensive analysis of this maritime mishap.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has announced that the investigation into the collision involving the 'Florence Spirit' and the 'Alanis' at the Welland Canal, which occurred on July 11, could take as long as 450 days to complete. This incident, which took place at approximately 3:55 p.m., involved the two vessels colliding starboard to starboard near the anchor ports. The 'Florence Spirit' was heading towards Lake Ontario, while the 'Alanis' was en route to Lake Erie at the time of the incident. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the crew members, which included 16 individuals aboard the 'Alanis' and 14 on the 'Florence Spirit'. The collision occurred just south of the East Main Street tunnel and east of Memorial Park in Welland. TSB investigators, based in Quebec City, have already conducted interviews with the crew members and retrieved data from the black boxes of both ships. These black boxes record crucial navigation details and communications between crew members in the moments leading up to the collision. Following the impact, the 'Florence Spirit' sustained damage to its starboard side, while the 'Alanis' faced bow damage, including a visible hole near its anchor port. At the time of the crash, the 'Florence Spirit' was carrying a cargo of coal destined for Quebec, whereas the 'Alanis' was transporting wind turbine components to Duluth, Minnesota. After the incident, the 'Florence Spirit' docked at Wharf 10 in Welland, and was later heading into the harbor at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, known for its ship repair and building facilities. Meanwhile, McKeil Marine is considering various repair options to return the vessel to operational status.

Mariners navigating the Welland Canal are urged to exercise caution as they pass the 'Florence Spirit', which is currently docked at Wharf 10 in Welland. In a notice dated July 14, the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation requested vessels to move at their slowest safe speed while approaching the area located between Mile 16 and Mile 18, just east of Bradley Avenue. Following the incident involving the collision with the 'Alanis', investigators from the Transportation Safety Board have been busy interviewing crew members and downloading information from the black boxes of both vessels. The investigation's findings are anticipated to take up to a year for a comprehensive report to be finalized.