: An initial investigation into the collision indicates that officers of both cargo vessels and the pilot of the incoming vessel were at fault, according to an official.
The investigation revealed that the collision happened due to human error and not because of technical reasons. The inquiry was conducted by marine expert and JNPT adviser Capt. Subhash Kumar.
Talking to The Hindu from Mumbai, he said: “Prima facie, both are fault. But the percentage of fault differs. Dawn Kanchipuram is more at fault. Even the pilot of that vessel is at fault,” he said.
“Dew or fatigue is not responsible for the collision. We can’t say that officers were either sleepy or tired, as replacement officers had taken charge,” sources at the port said.
“It was a great escape for sailors of both the hazardous materials laden vessels as there was no explosion despite the collision. They simply did not talk to each other. They also did not have sufficient time to take action to avert the disaster,” Capt. Kumar said.
At the time of incident, Maple was sailing at 9 knots per hour (16.66 km/h) and Dawn Kanchipuram at 6 knots per hour (11.11 km/h). Maple rammed into Dawn Kanchipuram and hit the oil tanker, damaging it in three places: one below the water level, measuring 7 to 8 metre in diameter, and a triangular hole at the top of about 3 to 4 metre diameter, apart from the engine room. Bunker oil from the pipes in this room spilled into the sea.
The LPG tanker’s bulbous bow ploughed into the oil tanker’s side. The bulbous bow is the strongest part of a ship. As the LPG tanker had unloaded a major portion of its cargo, it was relatively light and the bulbous bow was at a higher level. Maple, which suffered minor damages, is anchored on the high seas, while Dawn Kanchipuram is berthed inside the port.
