Read Authentic Ratings for the Guo-Hai-Lian-665

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) of the UK Government has published a comprehensive report on the collision involving the bulk carrier 'Huayang Endeavour' and the vessel 'Seafrontier' in the Dover Strait, located approximately five nautical miles west of Sandettie Bank, on July 1, 2017. Fortunately, both ships, although damaged, managed to navigate to nearby ports for an assessment, with no injuries or pollution reported. The investigation revealed that a miscommunication during a very high frequency (VHF) radio exchange led the two bridge teams to have opposing views on how the 'Huayang Endeavour' should overtake the 'Seafrontier'. This led to a dangerous scenario when the crew of the 'Seafrontier' failed to evaluate the sea space behind their vessel prior to changing course. Additionally, the report indicated that the master of the 'Seafrontier' had been on the bridge for over 14 hours, likely experiencing fatigue, which may have compromised his judgment. Moreover, it was noted that the bridge team of the 'Huayang Endeavour' did not perform adequate long-range scanning, as mandated by the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs). The MAIB criticized the use of VHF communication to attempt to resolve the situation, citing it as inadequate due to delayed action, poor verbal communication, and a lack of a unified operational plan. It was also highlighted that the 'Seafrontier' did not monitor the maneuvers of the 'Huayang Endeavour' following their VHF dialogue, resulting in unawareness of the bulk carrier's position. In light of the findings, the MAIB recommended improvements to VHF communication protocols for collision avoidance, as implemented by the management of 'Huayang Endeavour.' They have since shared lessons learned with their fleet. Similarly, 'Seafrontier's management undertook an internal review and has initiated measures to enhance training for their crew on bridge operation and resource management, ensuring that lessons from this incident reach their wider fleet.

On July 1, 2017, at 2:00 a.m., a significant maritime incident occurred in the Dover Strait, approximately 15 miles east of Dover, where the tanker 'Seafronier', carrying 37,953 tonnes of petrol, collided with the unmanned cargo ship 'Huayang Endeavour'. At the time of the incident, 'Seafronier' had a crew of 27, while 'Huayang Endeavour' was manned by a team of 22 individuals. Fortunately, all 49 crew members from both vessels, hailing from India and China, were unharmed and accounted for after the crisis. Emergency response was swift, with lifeboats launched from Dover and Ramsgate shortly after the collision. The Ramsgate lifeboat departed at 2:37 a.m. and arrived on the scene by 3:15 a.m., followed shortly by the Dover lifeboat, which was launched at 2:42 a.m. and reached the location by 3:59 a.m. The weather conditions at the time were relatively mild, with moderate winds and calm seas, facilitating the rescue operations. In response to the situation, the Maritime Operations Center (COM) of the Channel and North Sea Maritime Prefecture, located in Cherbourg, coordinated with CROSS Gris-Nez for operational evaluations and ensured readiness for further intervention if necessary. An Evaluation and Response Team (IEE) consisting of a vessel safety inspector from the Inter-Regional Directorate for the Sea (DIRM), a Dunkerque pilot, and an officer from the tug 'Abeille Languedoc', were airlifted to the 'Seafronier' via a French Navy SP Dauphin helicopter around 8:00 a.m. for investigation and safety assessments. As a precaution, the support vessel 'Argonaute', stationed in Brest (29), was also mobilized, and no immediate pollution was detected at the site. The UK Coastguard conducted thorough checks, confirming that neither vessel took on water, nor was any oil spilled into the surrounding waters. Monitoring for potential pollution continued by counter pollution and salvage surveyors from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The British Coastguard also dispatched helicopter 163 but later stood it down alongside the lifeboats once the tug 'Abeille Languedoc' arrived from Boulogne-sur-Mer at 5:44 a.m. to tow the 'Seafronier' toward Antwerp. Meanwhile, the 'Huayang Endeavour', initially headed for Lagos, was later docked at the Quay de Douvres in Dunkirk at 9:30 p.m. Following the necessary repairs, it set off for Ust-Luga on July 21 at 10:30 p.m., with an estimated time of arrival of July 26. The 'Seafronier' sustained a hole above the waterline along with structural damage to its port side superstructure during the accident. This incident serves as a reminder of the potential hazards faced in busy shipping lanes.