Discover the World-Diana: Ratings & Maritime News

A recent investigation by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has pinpointed ineffective bridge resource management as a key factor in the grounding of the bulk carrier 'World Diana' on April 22, 2023, in the Port of Bunbury, Western Australia. Published on July 10, 2024, the ATSB report provides critical insights into the circumstances surrounding the incident. During its departure from Bunbury, the 'World Diana' was assisted by a harbour pilot and two tugboats. Following its movement off the berth, the vessel was required to execute a turn in the turning basin before exiting the harbor. Unfortunately, the turn commenced earlier than anticipated, leading to insufficient space for a safe maneuver. This premature turn, combined with an increase in the ship's speed, resulted in the vessel's bow grounding on a shallow bank situated to the east of the harbor entrance. While the ship suffered minor hull damage, it was successfully maneuvered off the bank without any reported pollution. The ATSB's investigation highlighted significant shortcomings in bridge resource management during the pilotage process. It noted that the effective use of the available portable pilot unit, alongside clear communication and active engagement from the bridge team of the 'World Diana' and the tug masters, could have identified deviations from the planned maneuver in advance, thereby preventing the grounding. Alarmingly, critical information about the departure plan was exclusively in the pilot's domain, making it challenging for the bridge team to voice any concerns throughout the situation. Moreover, the ATSB determined that the Port of Bunbury has not established adequate procedures for the arrival and departure plans for larger vessels docked alongside berth no. 3 on their starboard side. This deficiency has limited vital information for pilots managing these ship movements and hindered collaborative understanding among bridge teams and tug masters regarding planned maneuvers. For complete details, you can access the full investigation report from the ATSB at https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2024/report/mo-2023-001.