penberth3
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News this afternoon - one arrest on suspicion of Manslaughter.
Ship collision off Hull
- Thread starter Alfie168
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Birdseye
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Has someone died?
penberth3
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One crew member was lost.
Wansworth
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Arrested who?
SaltIre
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59 year old man.
Wandering Star
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Captain of the Solong apparently.
Wansworth
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Thanks
veshengro
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If you look at the aerial photos of both ships the burn damage to both is interesting to note, I thought..
The Tanker shows heat damage primarily in the area of the contact point, while the fire damage to the Solong is fore to aft, the length of the ship.
I get the impression that on impact jet fuel sprayed from the damaged Tanker, perhaps helped by wind direction, and soaked the Solong fore and aft, perhaps even before ignition. Even the forepart of her Bridge and the after housing seem to be thoroughly burned.
I note the hole above the waterline in the Tanker, I wonder just what the damage is below the waterline as the Solong's Bulbous Bow must have made contact, as the Tanker is deep in the water, fully laden.
Photos in article illustrate what I am rambling on about.
Tanker collision latest: Cargo ship captain arrested over collision in North Sea, owner tells BBC
The Tanker shows heat damage primarily in the area of the contact point, while the fire damage to the Solong is fore to aft, the length of the ship.
I get the impression that on impact jet fuel sprayed from the damaged Tanker, perhaps helped by wind direction, and soaked the Solong fore and aft, perhaps even before ignition. Even the forepart of her Bridge and the after housing seem to be thoroughly burned.
I note the hole above the waterline in the Tanker, I wonder just what the damage is below the waterline as the Solong's Bulbous Bow must have made contact, as the Tanker is deep in the water, fully laden.
Photos in article illustrate what I am rambling on about.
Tanker collision latest: Cargo ship captain arrested over collision in North Sea, owner tells BBC
Wansworth
Well-known member
With your professional experience of the merchant marine how many crew should have been onthe bridge of Solong in normal navigational mode….on the little coasters backin the 1970s there was only the watch keeper working watches with the captain only in bad weather including fog the captain and first officer might be together
veshengro
Well-known member
My answer will probably be a bit misleading Wansey, because of the distance in time. In my time at sea a British ship of that size would have had 3 certificated Mates minimum, 1st, 2nd and 3rd and the quite usual requirement was, to sail as 3rd Mate one would need a 2nd Mates Certificate and the 2nd would have passed his Ist Mates exam and invariably the 1st Mate would be someone with his Master's Ticket just awaiting his own command within the Shipping Company. I speak here of the type of Shipping Companies that I sailed with, Blue Star, Royal Mail, Port Line, Shaw Savill and many others.
When the Auto Pilot, commonly known as 'Iron Mike' was in operation the Seaman who's trick at the wheel it was, would usually act as a Bridge lookout or do some job close by, but always within calling distance of the Mate on Watch. On watch meant on watch in those days, no AIS, Radar of course, some even had alarm settings but usually a regular visual Radar check with the distance rings switched on was the usual method.
In reduced visibility Iron Mike would be switched off and someone would take the wheel and hand steer. If visibility was really poor a lookout often on the Foc'sle Head would be posted. I speak of deep sea ships with perhaps 8 o 12 Hands on deck including Deck Boys, so man power was never really a problem, not for watch keeping anyway.
Writing this reminds me how long ago it all was and how things have changed in 65+ years. Then the Mate might well blow a whistle if he wanted the watch on Deck for a job., I sailed in ships that had no reliable Iron Mike, so fitted, but unused.
But I passed the Humber many many times bound North and South in a Collier with no Iron Mike, coal from Blyth or Methil in Fife for Sammy Williams Dock on the Thames and the Ford Factory furnaces, but we never hit anything..thankfully.
When people have machines and gadgets to do jobs for them, people forget the old skills and get lazy or perhaps a bit too trusting I'm thinking.
But to pass judgement without the full facts is not my style and unfair to those involved, so best to await official findings.
When the Auto Pilot, commonly known as 'Iron Mike' was in operation the Seaman who's trick at the wheel it was, would usually act as a Bridge lookout or do some job close by, but always within calling distance of the Mate on Watch. On watch meant on watch in those days, no AIS, Radar of course, some even had alarm settings but usually a regular visual Radar check with the distance rings switched on was the usual method.
In reduced visibility Iron Mike would be switched off and someone would take the wheel and hand steer. If visibility was really poor a lookout often on the Foc'sle Head would be posted. I speak of deep sea ships with perhaps 8 o 12 Hands on deck including Deck Boys, so man power was never really a problem, not for watch keeping anyway.
Writing this reminds me how long ago it all was and how things have changed in 65+ years. Then the Mate might well blow a whistle if he wanted the watch on Deck for a job., I sailed in ships that had no reliable Iron Mike, so fitted, but unused.
But I passed the Humber many many times bound North and South in a Collier with no Iron Mike, coal from Blyth or Methil in Fife for Sammy Williams Dock on the Thames and the Ford Factory furnaces, but we never hit anything..thankfully.
When people have machines and gadgets to do jobs for them, people forget the old skills and get lazy or perhaps a bit too trusting I'm thinking.
But to pass judgement without the full facts is not my style and unfair to those involved, so best to await official findings.
Wansworth
Well-known member
Yes indeed ,await the official outcome.Anyway thanks for your comments ….I served on small coasters that sometimes had only three including the skipper although the accommodation had berths for four but possibly one berth was reserved for an engineer
Daverw
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This is our home sailing sailing area and is very busy with tankers and transport ships etc, The fleet of sea going tugs are always active in the estuary between Immingham and Grimsby with many wincats within 15 miles of the area every day, these at 25knots really shift and can take on board many people so would be there before the RNLI most times. Also off shore oil supply vessels heading out or past most days, VTS is covering all the river from Humber bridge to TSS so many miles of cover
veshengro
Well-known member
Wansworth
" .I served on small coasters that sometimes had only three including the skipper although the accommodation had berths for four but possibly one berth was reserved for an engineer "Smallest ship I sailed in was the little coaster that ran up under the Bridges to Paris. She was 600 tons + and we had 7 hands on board. Old Man, The Mate ( he had a Home Trade Masters Ticket) an Engineer, Ship's Cook and 3 AB's. Cross Channel the Old Man and Mate did 4 on 4 off but as it was only a short hop from Shoreham or Littlehampton to Le Havre it wasn't too bad for them.
The old Collier I was in had 3 Mates a Bosun, 3 Ab's and a couple of Ordinary Seamen I seem to remember plus a couple of Engineers and the Cook... Oh! and the Old Man's Steward who I think was called Lola...
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Wansworth
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The first proper ship I joined was a dredger with a skipper,mate ,engineer,cook and two deckhands working out of south coast ports sucking up shingle from the Solent orsouthof the IOW……must admit I was a bit disappointed as nobody wore a uniform!
veshengro
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" was a dredger with a skipper,mate ,engineer,cook and two deckhands working out of south coast ports "
Not one of the 'Arco' Dredgers was she Wansey? Couple of those used to off load at the North Quay Ballast Wharf at Newhaven and I'm sure I saw one discharging at Francis Concrete berth in Littlehampton once.
Not one of the 'Arco' Dredgers was she Wansey? Couple of those used to off load at the North Quay Ballast Wharf at Newhaven and I'm sure I saw one discharging at Francis Concrete berth in Littlehampton once.
capnsensible
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First ship I joined had a crew of 471.
Uniformed of course!Wansworth
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Yes…but don’t recall which one now….then South Coast Dredging…..mostly discharged on the Itchenat Northam and once at Littlehampton which was exciting as It was my home port!……one night on the bridge a small coaster came weaving towards us as we headed west from Shoreham,a few years later I was mate on that coaster and discovered that the autopilot was the cause of the drunken weaving!…….it was easier to hand steer!
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Chiara’s slave
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Did you actually live there, Wansy? We have family history there.
Wansworth
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No,a bike ride away at Yapton,but my father kept his dinghy onthe mud and we were members of the ArunYacht Club……
Chiara’s slave
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My maternal grandfather was a mid scale builder there, my other grandparents lived in Walberton. My wife and I were members at Arun in the 90s, but when we got our 1st Dragonfly the harbour master told us to move on.
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