Completed PE Summary

Gas Pioneer / fv Obsession

Vessel name Gas Pioneer
Category Merchant
Registered Owner & Manager: Gas Pioneer BV
Port of registry: Douglas
Flag: Isle of Man
Type: Gas Tanker
Built: 1989
Classification society: Bureau Veritas
Construction: Steel
Length overall: 72.57m
Gross tonnage: 1173
Date & Time 14/03/2007 08:51
Location of incident: Approaches to Milford Haven
Incident Type: Collision in Fog
Persons onboard: 8
Injuries/ fatalities: None
Damage/ Pollution: Slight/Nil

Vessel name Obsession
Category Fishing
Registered Owner & Manager: Ann Veronica Mary Bowman-Davies
Port of registry: Milford Haven
Flag: UK
Type: Fishing vessel
Built: 1986
Classification society: N/A
Construction: GRP
Length overall: 11.0m
Gross tonnage: 9.92
Date & Time 14/03/2007 08:51
Persons onboard: 3
Injuries/ fatalities: None
Damage/ Pollution: Substantial/nil

Synopsis

At 0851 UTC the Gas Pioneer was involved in a collision in fog with the fishing vessel Obsession whilst she was waiting for her inward bound pilot in the approaches to the port of Milford Haven.

As a result of the collision, the gas tanker suffered minor damage to her hull above the water line and the fishing vessel suffered substantial damage to her bow area. The fishing vessel was able to get back into port with her bilge pumps running.

There were no injuries to personnel and no pollution

Action taken:

Following the accident, the Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents has written to the Managers of the Gas Tanker strongly advising them;

  • To review their safety management system procedures to make them relevant to the particular ship’s size and trading pattern.

  • To stress to their masters the need to adopt good watch keeping procedures in line with their safety management system and industry best practices with emphasis on navigation in restricted visibility.

  • To reinforce to their masters and officers the need to comply with national and international regulations in particular the need to offer assistance following an accident.

  • To identify any further training needs for bridge teams to improve navigation in restricted visibility.

and to the Skipper of the fishing vessel;

  • Strongly advising him to familiarise himself with the relevant provisions of the Collision Regulations and, in future, to comply with all the relevant rules including those associated with the keeping of an efficient lookout.

  • He attends the Sea Fish bridge watch keeping course