@texastanker: It’s a given that leaving the ship standing into danger, it’s your job to make sure the turn is made.
Capt. Hazelton had asked VTS if there was any northbound traffic. When told the northbound lane was clear, he advised them that he intended to take a shortcut by steering more to the south. The mate may have misunderstood their actual position when returning to the bridge after dropping off the pilot, incorrectly assuming they were still in the south bound lane farther west and ignored the visual clues and the report from the lookout.