Collision between FV Galaxy and Adam Tenggiri

Summary

Early in the morning of 6 September 1996, the Malaysian cargo ship Alam Tenggiri was about 65 miles east-by-south of the Queensland port of Mackay, en route from Bing Bong, in the Gulf of Carpentaria, to Newcastle, New South Wales. The weather was fine, the visibility clear and the sea calm.

At about 0120 Eastern Standard Time, the officer on watch saw the light of a vessel ahead on the port bow. Alam Tenggiri was making good a speed of about 12.8 knots, with High Peak Island about 20 miles on the starboard bow. After watching the other vessel, he deduced that the vessel was on a parallel or nearly parallel course and that his ship was the overtaking ship and had a duty to keep clear. He started an ARPA plot and determined the closest point of approach of the other vessel.

The fishing vessel Galaxy was relocating from fishing grounds off Mackay to grounds further south, to the west of the Capricorn Group. The Skipper handed over the watch to the vessel's Cook, who maintained a lookout and a check that the vessel followed the course displayed on the vessel's plotter, which was connected to the GPS. The Cook saw no other vessels.

At about 0240, collision seemed imminent and Alam Tenggiri's rudder was put hard to starboard. As the starboard trawl boom of the fishing vessel came into contact with the port side railing of Alam Tenggiri the cargo ship's rudder was put hard to port. The smaller fishing vessel passed down the port side of the cargo ship.

The Alam Tenggiri started to slow its engine in readiness for turning about to render assistance. After about 20 minutes VHF radio contact was established and information was exchanged. The fishing vessel reported that it had sustained damage to its boom but did not require assistance.

The collision occurred in approximate position 2150.5' South 15048' East. Alam Tenggiri continued on its voyage to Newcastle. Galaxy abandoned the voyage to the new fishing ground and set a course to return to its home port of Caloundra.

Conclusions

These conclusions identify the different factors contributing to the collision between Alam Tenggiri and Galaxy and should not be read as apportioning liability or blame to any particular ship or individual.

It is considered that the fishing vessel Galaxy was on a steady course of about 150 and the following factors contributed to the collision:

• The Second Mate on Alam Tenggiri, having seen the light of the vessel being overtaken, did not keep a proper lookout in that he did not make a full and effective appraisal of the situation and of the risk of collision.
• The Second Mate placed too great a reliance on ARPA without a full appreciation of its possible inaccuracies.
• A prolonged period of overtaking involving no immediate risk of collision reduced awareness of the potential danger of eventual collision.
• Given the extent of open water available, Alam Tenggiri did not give sufficient sea room to the vessel being overtaken.
• The person on lookout on board Galaxy did not keep a proper lookout and did not detect the overtaking vessel by sight or radar.
• Although the manning of Galaxy met the requirements of the Australian Transport Advisory Council's Uniform Shipping Law Code, the person on lookout on board Galaxy was not qualified, had no training in the use of radar and did not have the knowledge to maintain a watch.