I read the earlier post by MarinePilot about the appearance of loss of steering, or effective loss of ship control, during close overtaking situations, but didn’t think it applied in this situation. But perhaps it might.
I spent a lot of time on USN ships and an actual loss of steering is extremely rare. Redundant control systems, redundant hydraulic systems, very fast ABTs for power, etc. The reported “lost steering” by JSM seemed odd, particularly with it coming back so readily/quickly.
Conjecture is just that, but looking carefully at the AIS history the Team Oslo passed the Alnic MC shortly before the collision. What if JSM was moving slowly, perhaps timing an arrival at the pilot pick up, and was overtaken close aboard on the stbd side by Team Oslo. JSM might have experienced what the helmsman felt as a loss of steering, and veered to port in front of Alnic MC. Perhaps JSM yawed initially to stbd and the helmsman overcorrected with port rudder. Don’t know if USN ships have autopilot, if it would have been used in this case, or how it might have reacted in this situation. I do have a lot of experience with UNREP, close aboard (120-160ft), at 12-13kts, so well aware of the hydrodynamic forces and effects as you come up alongside the oiler, and as you leave alongside.
Again, conjecture, but possibly more likely than a true loss of steering by JSM.