Working Conditions Aboard the Seafrontier

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) of the UK Government has unveiled its report concerning the collision involving the bulk carrier "Huayang Endeavour" and the container ship "Seafrontier," which occurred on July 1, 2017, in the busy Dover Strait, approximately five nautical miles west of Sandettie Bank. Fortunately, both vessels managed to steam to nearby ports for damage assessments and reported no injuries or environmental pollution as a result of the incident. The investigation highlights that a VHF radio exchange between the two vessels led the bridge teams to develop conflicting strategies regarding how the "Huayang Endeavour" should overtake the "Seafrontier." This miscommunication ultimately resulted in the "Seafrontier"’s bridge team altering the vessel’s course without verifying sufficient sea room behind them, creating a dangerous situation. It was noted that the bridge master of the "Seafrontier" had been on duty for over 14 hours, likely facing fatigue that could have influenced decision-making during this critical moment. Additionally, the investigation revealed deficiencies in long-range scanning by the "Huayang Endeavour"’s bridge team, which contravened the regulations outlined in the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972 (COLREGs). The MAIB deemed the approach of utilizing VHF communication to resolve the conflict ineffective, citing poor verbal clarity, delayed actions, and a lack of a collaborated strategy between the two teams. They also highlighted that the "Seafrontier"'s team failed to keep track of the "Huayang Endeavour"’s movements post-conversation, further complicating their assessment of the situation. In light of these findings, the MAIB has made several recommendations. They reported that after conducting its internal inquiry, the management team of "Huayang Endeavour" has revised its VHF communication procedures regarding collision avoidance and shared the critical lessons learned with its fleet. Similarly, the management of "Seafrontier" has completed its investigation and initiated multiple steps to enhance the training of its crew in bridge management and crew resource practices, as well as revising its operational protocols to prevent future incidents.

On July 1, 2017, at 2 a.m., a noteworthy maritime incident occurred in the Strait of Dover, approximately 15 miles east of Dover (position: 51.237N 1.750E), involving the oil tanker 'Seafronier' carrying 37,953 tonnes of petrol and the unloaded bulk carrier 'Huayang Endeavour'. Fortunately, the accident did not result in injuries to any of the crew members, which totaled 49, composed of 27 from the 'Seafronier' and 22 from the 'Huayang Endeavour', representing India and China. The situation quickly prompted a response from local lifeboats. The Ramsgate lifeboat launched at 2:37 a.m. and arrived on scene at 3:15 a.m., while the Dover lifeboat departed at 2:42 a.m., reaching the site at 3:59 a.m. Fifteen volunteer rescuers joined the operations, assisting effectively in ensuring the safety of the crew aboard both vessels. As both ships came to halt at the collision site, they had dropped anchor. The Maritime Operations Center (COM) from the Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea in Cherbourg, in collaboration with CROSS Gris-Nez, began its operational evaluations, with preparations in place for potential further intervention. This also saw the mobilization of an Evaluation and Response Team (IEE) comprising a vessel safety inspector and other maritime professionals. Around 8:00 a.m., a helicopter from the French Navy transported the evaluation team to the 'Seafronier' to conduct investigations and assess the situation for next steps. Precautionary measures were taken by the COM Cherbourg, placing the support vessel 'Argonaute' on alert from Brest, although there were no indications of pollution at this time. The UK Coastguard closely monitored the incident, conducting inspections and confirming that neither vessel had taken on water or leaked fuel. The British Coastguard also deployed helicopter 163, which was later stood down once the tug 'Abeille Languedoc' from Boulogne-sur-Mer arrived at approximately 5:44 a.m. to tow the 'Seafronier' to Antwerp. At the time of collision, the 'Huayang Endeavour' was bound for Lagos, while the 'Seafronier' was en route to Puerto Barrios. Damage to the 'Seafronier' included a hole above the waterline and structural issues on the port side, necessitating repairs at Gdansk, where she docked on July 17. After repairs, she resumed trials on September 5 at 10 a.m. Meanwhile, the 'Huayang Endeavour' made its way to the Quay de Douvres in Dunkirk, arriving at 9:30 p.m. Photographic reports and further details can be found across multiple news platforms, including Daily Mail, BBC, Kent Online, and RNLI.