Executive summary
On Thursday 15 March 2001, at about 0517, the coastal container ship "Spirit of Enterprise" was outbound from Dunedin in Otago Harbour with 11 crew on board under the control of its pilot exempt master, when it sheered violently to port turning through 180 degrees in the channel at Deborah Bend. The master took the ship back to the swinging basin off Port Chalmers where tests of the steering machinery were carried out. Finding no faults, the master resumed the outward passage but again the vessel sheered at Deborah Bend, this time touching the channel side.
Two consecutive channel light beacons had failed at Deborah Bend, which caused the master to make the turn into the bend prematurely and resulted in him losing situational awareness and the ship leaving the channel.
Safety issues identified included:
• the standard of bridge resource management aboard the "Spirit of Enterprise"
• fatigue-related performance impairment
• the monitoring of the operation of channel marking beacons in Otago Harbour
• the adequacy of legislation governing pilotage and pilotage exemption schemes operating in Otago Harbour and generally in New Zealand.
Safety recommendations were made to the chief executive of Pacifica Shipping (1985) Limited, the chief executive of Port Otago Limited, the chief executive of Otago Regional Council and the Director of Maritime Safety to address the safety issues.
Related Recommendations
Include in the policy manuals instructions to ship’s staff on how the company expects the principles of effective bridge resource management should be complied with.
Ensure that any new pilotage exemption certificates issued are subject to the existing size and area limitations currently applicable.
Critically review the scheduling and manning level of all Pacifica ships, and ensure that the maritime rules for the prevention of fatigue can be complied with, and if not, take the necessary action that will enable crews to safely operate the company ships in compliance with the rules.
Include in an advisory circular to Maritime Rule 90 [Pilotage (Appointment of Pilots and Pilotage)] minimum standards that a monitoring and currency system for pilot exempt masters must meet.
Maintain the requirement that the signal station operator informs masters of transiting ships of any unlit or temporarily lit beacons and also include a reminder to advise the signal station should any other beacons be discovered extinguished.
Conduct a cost/benefit analysis of the establishment of an automated monitoring system of the beacon lights in selected critical areas, such as major bends in the channel, of Otago Harbour, and if feasible establish a monitoring system.
Introduce a documented policy where the crews of company vessels, including the pilot vessels and tugs, routinely verify the operation of the channel beacons in any area transited at night, with logbook entries to record results.