Hopefully the Stena Immaculate was making the requisite sound signals of a vessel in fog. I assume her AIS was indicating that she was a vessel at anchor and to whether she used her VHF to warn the Solong will be certainly be of concern to the subsequent enquiry.
My point was if anyone expects a vessel with the machinery such as that fitted to the Stena Immaculate to take avoiding action from anchor near a high trafficked area then such a vessel could never anchor.
I never sailed with an automatic bell and gong. Back in the day at anchor off Rotterdam on a 350,000 DWT VLCC the only way I could hear whether the two AB’s were sounding the bell and gong was on the talkback system. They couldn’t hear each other and from the bridge wing I couldn’t hear either them. I might have had a chance if the engine room fans were shut down but that would mean 8 hours notice for manoeuvring for a steamer.
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