Passenger Ferry Collides With Cargo Ship Leaving 17 Dead

[Medic Mike]

Note to self, must teach my girl to swim.

Sad but true, I am always amazed how many can not swim.

[Jake]

I know nothing about shipping or much about anything actually so don't laugh at my question. Is there such a thing as rules for incoming and outgoing vessels? Like the position the vessels are meant to pass each other and is there something like air traffic control except for sea vessels? Surely there must be some radio contact with the port or someone to guide ships in and out.

At sea international rules are suppose to be simple to understand.  For example a ship off your port shall keep

clear of you and must pass your stern.  At the same time, you are required to hold course and speed so that he

can plan his maneuver around you.  

 

In narrow channels, there are channel markers with reduced speed markers.  There should be a harbor master

(local coast guard) that acts like a traffic cop.  All ships including military should have a bridge to bridge VHF radio

(channel 16) to broadcast your intentions well in advance.  

 

Possibly one of the ships was in the wrong lane and both were exceeding the speed limit.  I will also fault the local

coast guard for sleeping on the job.  Visibility and sea state can also be used as an excuse but both captains are

responsible to avoid collision at all cost, even if you have right of way.  

 

All systems affecting ships movement and backup generators must be on line.  For example, a emergency back up

system for steering control must be manned and ready.  You can go back to normal conditions once you're out in

the open sea.  

Edited September 8, 2013 by Jake

[dalidali]

I saw an animated description of the collision on a PH news channel.

The 2GO vessel passed in front of the oncoming cargo ship....with it's starboard side exposed to the oncoming cargo ship.

The 2GO vessel cut in front of the cargo ship and the cargo vessel caught the stern of the 2GO vessel with it's bow, as the 2GO vessel passed in front of it.

 

The 2GO vessel should have given way to the cargo ship and passed to it's right..or that is the way the animation showed it.

 

Passing vessels, are by international rules of navigation, to pass to the right of oncoming vessels.

The 2GO vessel did not yield the right of way, as dictated by international rules of the road that govern all vessel shipping traffic.

[earthdome]

The only thing I know from my time in the USN is that there are two types of ships.

 

Submarines and targets.

[Medic Mike]

I know when I am sailing, I always go by the rule of tonnage, if he is bigger than me, then he gots the right of way :)

[Thomas]

It says in another story they hit head on, how does two big ships run into each other head on? The death toll will climb unfortunately.   :unsure:

Depending of how far up in the Mactan Channel, but it's not much space for such a high trafic anywhere there, and extra tight in the more north part.

(There are no sea NorthWEST outside Cebu, as the article say.)

[OnMyWay]

 

It says in another story they hit head on, how does two big ships run into each other head on? The death toll will climb unfortunately.   :unsure:

Depending of how far up in the Mactan Channel, but it's not much space for such a high trafic anywhere there, and extra tight in the more north part.

(There are no sea NorthWEST outside Cebu, as the article say.)

 

 

That is what I read about.  Narrow channel.  The cargo ship was on the way out and the ferry was on the way in.  One of the ships was in the wrong and apparently it also happened during an intense squall, which may have limited visibility.

[Jake]

The only thing I know from my time in the USN is that there are two types of ships.

 

Submarines and targets.

Me being a surface puke navy, I always dread the sight of an ominous submarine just popped out of nowhere.

Thank god they were all friendlies.....he, he.  They ALL have this appearance of a black ninja killer whale.   

 

Respectfully -- Jake

[Jake]

I saw an animated description of the collision on a PH news channel.

The 2GO vessel passed in front of the oncoming cargo ship....with it's starboard side exposed to the oncoming cargo ship.

The 2GO vessel cut in front of the cargo ship and the cargo vessel caught the stern of the 2GO vessel with it's bow, as the 2GO vessel passed in front of it.

 

The 2GO vessel should have given way to the cargo ship and passed to it's right..or that is the way the animation showed it.

 

Passing vessels, are by international rules of navigation, to pass to the right of oncoming vessels.

The 2GO vessel did not yield the right of way, as dictated by international rules of the road that govern all vessel shipping traffic.

I believe the issue was a crossing situation -- passenger ship was at fault crossing the bow of the cargo ship (yellow)

and not his stern:

 

[Jollygoodfellow]

Well if anything the Ferry is saying its passenger and freight ratio was legal. You know it brings tears to my eyes when I think of what the passengers have gone through and surviving is just the first part. They lost everything that they had with them including their clothes so it must be hard.  :SugarwareZ-034:

 

 

The owners of the ferry involved in Friday’s accident said it was carrying 723 passengers, 118 crew and 104 20-ft containers. It had an authorized capacity of 1,010 passengers and crew and 160 containers.

 

The rest

http://www.euronews.com/newswires/2074562-hundreds-rescued-after-ferry-collision-in-philippines-two-dead-radio/