Gibraltar accident investigators recommend compulsory pilotage for ships following 2022 bulk carrier grounding
The Maritime Accident Investigation Compliance Office (MAICO) of the Gibraltar Maritime Administration (GMA) has recommended the adoption of compulsory pilotage for ships as a means of preventing collisions.
This and other recommendations by the MAICO came in the wake of its investigation into a maritime incident on August 29, 2022, when a commercial ship struck another vessel and then ran aground in the Bay of Gibraltar.
On the said date, the Tuvalu-registered bulk carrier OS 35 was manoeuvring to exit Gibraltar's Western Anchorage when it clipped the hull of Adam LNG, a Marshall Islands-flagged LNG carrier.
The crew of OS 35 were then ordered by the Gibraltar Port Authority (GPA) to proceed to an area 200 metres off Catalan Bay. The ship was subsequently grounded to minimise the risk of sinking and to ensure the safety of the 24 sailors on board.
A later inspection by divers revealed a 10- by four-metre gash amidships just below OS 35's waterline. A hydraulic leak had also been reported from the forward crane, which is the only one of the four cranes aboard the vessel affected by water ingress.
Adam LNG meanwhile suffered only a "superficial dent" to its bulbous bow.
OS35's wreck remained grounded until July 23, when it was finally removed following salvage operation.
The MAICO's 37-page report described the timeline of the incident and presented recommendations intended to improve safety. One other recommendation called for a review of bridge team training as well as manoeuvring procedures in port even without the assistance of an embarked pilot.
The investigation showed that neither OS35's bridge team nor its master monitor the departure manoeuvre, which then caused the master to misjudge the effects of tide and wind on the vessel.
Because the master was concerned that the tidal flow and wind were causing the ship to drift, he ordered that the ship be initially manoeuvred astern, and the manoeuvre caused the two vessels to come into contact with each other.
The Gibraltar Port Authority was meanwhile recommended to require its Vessel Traffic Services team to provide clear advice to vessels before permitting these to exit the Western Anchorage.