希臘貨輪相撞事故!

Name: BARU SATU
Country: Panama
Type: Cargo ship
IMO: 9233624
MMSI: 371043000
Size: 137 x 23
Draught: 8.3 m
Destination: PIRAEUS


Name: KATHERINE
Country: Malta
Type: Cargo ship
IMO: 9133290
MMSI: 249442000
Size: 177 x 26
Draught: 9.6 m
Destination: MARGHERA,ITALY

SeaNews Turkey
Bulk carriers Katherine and Baru Satu collided in Aegean sea, one in danger of sinking
Bulk carriers Katherine and Baru Satu collided in Aegean sea some 8 nm SW of Gavrio, Andros island, Greece, near position 37 52N 24 33E, at around 23:48 UTC July 3 13, or around 02:00 July 4 LT. Vessels collided on opposite courses, obviously due to watch officers errors. Katherine got a hole portside in Hold 5 area, with ensuing water ingress, Baru Satu suffered bow damage, also resulting in water ingress. 9 out of 23 Katherine crew went to a Greek patrol boat, the remaining 14 stay on board. All 17 crew of Baru Satu stay on board. Both vessels are slowly proceeding towards some port or place of refuge, maybe even, Baru Satu moored to Katherine in order to keep her afloat. Greece authorities understandably don』t want sunken bulk carrier near coastline or on approaches to some port, they』d prefer vessel to sink as far off land as possible. Katherine was en route from Novorossiysk, Russia, to Italy, with cargo of steel. Baru Satu was en route from Brazil to Bulgaria, Black sea, with cargo of sugar.

How it happened?
According to AIS tracke analysis, it is clear that South-West bound ship, M/V Katherine altered her course to starboad, which is the sound behaviour on such head-on situations. But, interestingly, instead of altering her course to Starboard; the M/V Baru Satu altered her course to port; directly breaking onto Katherine's port side.
According to AIS data two ships still stick together with concern of sinking danger if Baruı Satu moves away from Katherine.
Mistake done by Katherine's Navigation Team: Altering to port was the correct move, but it was taken too late. Early maneouvering is essntial. In this case, Katherine's team should alter the ship's route to Port at least five minutes earlier than exactly done. Making the correct maneouvering too late, caused the other side to take the wrong decision to alter the course to port.
Mistake done by Baru satu's's Navigation Team: Altering the course to Port was a wrong step, but, however, it looks that the ship was forced to alter the course to Port, because on the Starboard site there was the Andros island, at close proximity which possibly disallows the officer from altering to starboard. But however, correct step could be a hard alteration to Starboard, taking into account to make a full circle around.
Notice: Other traffic at the proximity is also important to make a correct statement. We know the area is busy with traffic and other traffic could force each ship to make limited maneouvers.