What Happened
What Happened
On January 7, 2023, about 0734 local time, the bulk carrier American Mariner had begun transiting outbound in the Vidal Shoals Channel, near Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, en route to Superior, Wisconsin, when the vessel grounded and sustained damage to three ballast water tanks. No pollution or injuries were reported. Damage to the vessel was $600,000.
What We Found
What We Found
We determined that the probable cause of the grounding of the bulk carrier American Mariner was the master maneuvering the vessel away from the dock and into the channel while alone on the bridge, which required him to multitask (navigation, steering, and lookout duties) and resulted in the vessel overshooting the turn into the channel and running aground on the shoals on the opposite side of the channel.
What We Recommended
Determining Bridge Team Staffing
While maneuvering in confined waters, it is difficult for a single bridge crewmember to effectively drive, lookout, and monitor and use available bridge equipment. The composition of a bridge team may vary based on the complexity of the maneuver or operation being carried out. Typically, maneuvers like docking or undocking, transiting in or out of port, or operating in areas of high traffic density require additional personnel to handle navigation-related duties. Owners, operators, and vessel masters are responsible for ensuring that bridge teams are staffed with a sufficient number of certified/credentialed mariners who are familiar with all bridge navigation equipment and able to independently take immediate action. Additionally, the effective use of all available resources by a bridge team, including visual scanning, radars, electronic charts, and an automatic identification system, increases collective situational awareness and contributes to a safe navigation watch.
