The Transport Accident Investigation Commission of New Zealand (TAIC) has published its report on the investigation into a collision between a passenger ferry and a recreational vessel in the Bay of Islands on April 13, 2023.
On the said date, the recreational vessel Onepoto collided with the passenger ferry Waitere, known locally as the Blue Ferry, while the latter was on its way from Russel to Paihia.
The TAIC report describes catastrophic damage to the ferry, which later sank. The ferry's master was seriously injured but its 19 passengers were largely uninjured. Onepoto's skipper and passenger were uninjured but there was some damage to the boat.
Both vessels' navigation was unsafe. Almost certainly, this was because neither skipper kept a proper watch. Both did eventually see the other vessel, but too late to take avoiding action.
Onepoto was navigating at 20.5 knots while its skipper was distracted by an engine alarm. Had the skipper reduced speed while attending to the engine alarm, it is very likely the collision would have been avoided or its consequences diminished.
Regulations require every maritime transport operator to detail the risks and planned mitigations for each of their vessels in a Maritime Transport Operator Plan (MTOP). However, the MTOP for Waitere didn't do that; it:
omitted procedures for safe watchkeeping and keeping a good lookout;
contained ambiguities, irrelevant and inaccurate information; and
didn't identify and mitigate the risk of the sole-charge master being incapacitated
Also, the regulatory system didn't detect the problems with Waitere's MTOP.
There was no need for the TAIC to make a new recommendation for future safety. The regulator, Maritime New Zealand, engages in sufficient promotion of good watchkeeping and lookout practices via safety audits, guidance publications, and prosecuting where the rules are broken. Maritime NZ also engages more deeply with operators on certification and audit work.
Lessons for all skippers include the following:
Proper lookout: look and listen and do everything you can to determine if there's a risk of collision. In a crossing situation, regardless of which vessel is designated to give way, both must be vigilant. Both must keep track of how they're doing at avoiding the other vessel until they are clear of each other.
Sensible speed: ensure your speed gives you time to determine if you could collide and enables you to stop in a safe distance if required.