I’ll do the Monday-morning-Quarterback spiel, and perhaps some of you old timers can comment.
Setting:
m/t “Stella Immaculate” at anchor. Early morning. Heavy fog. Visibility about 1 cable.
m/v “Solong” bearing onto the m/t “Stella Immaculate” at about 16½ knots. The OOW is not the Master, is the 2nd Officer.
The OOW notices a distant vessel approaching at a brisk pace. At about 3 Nm distance there is an unusual lack of change in the approaching vessel’s heading. A rapid CPA calculation results 0 Nm in about 3 minutes.
What could the OOW, and separately, should, have done?
———————
I’ll start this off with the following proposition:
A.
P.A.:
OOW announces emergency: “Possible imminent collision”, “All crew to emergency stations”, “Master to bridge”, “Engineers prepare for emergency maneuver in 2 minutes”, “Bo’s’un and 3 deck hands to Fo’c’sle”. “3rd Officer prepare for fire-fighting”, Cook & Steward prepare free-fall lifeboat”. “All crew to wear life-vests”. “O.S. (name) to the bridge”
OOW: sounds Fog Horn. Turns on all deck lights.
Intercom, Bridge to Engine Room
- OOW: Inform how soon we can start engines to move the ship.
Intercom, Engine Room to Bridge:
- We can make emergency maneuver in “X” minutes.
Master reaches bridge.
OOW informs Master of imminent collision, recommends swinging the vessel using the anchor as pivot point, and RUDDER HARD TO PORT, SLOW AHEAD.
———————
At this point the Master takes over.
———————
Would the aforementioned actions by the OOW have been adequate, bad, good?
Please comment or criticize based on the above premise and what is known about the vessel.