FLORENCE SPIRIT

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Accident ivestigation in report phase

An investigation into the collision between the 'Florence Spirit' and the 'Alanis' on the Welland Canal nearly two years ago is in the report phase, according to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada communications department (TSB). The 'Florence Spirit' was headed down the canal toward Lake Ontario, and the 'Alanis' headed toward Lake Erie. The two vessels collided starboard to starboard around their anchor ports at 3:55 p.m. on July 11, 2020. None of the 16 crew members on the 'Alanis' and 14 on the 'Florence Spirt' were injured in the accodent which took place south of the East Main Street tunnel, east of Welland’s Memorial Park. The 'Florence Spirit' was damaged on the starboard side, the 'Alanis'suffered bow damage, including a visible hole on the starboard side near the anchor port. Three investigators from the TSB’s Quebec City-based office interviewed crew members on both vessels and downloaded data from the VDR on each ship. The investigation into the incident involves three stages, the first being a field phase whereby investigators conduct interviews and collect information. The second phase is the examination and analysis phase whereby records are reviewed, tests conducted tests and safety deficiencies identified. The third phase is the report phase, whereby a confidential draft report is approved by TSB and sent to persons and corporations who are directly concerned by the report.

Investigation could take 450 days

An investigation into the collision between the 'Florence Spirit' and the 'Alanis' on the Welland Canal on July 11 could take to 450 days to complete, says the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB). The 'Florence Spirit', headed down the canal toward Lake Ontario, and the 'Alanis', headed toward Lake Erie, collided starboard to starboard around the anchor ports on both ships at 3:55 p.m. Crew members on both vessels — 16 on the 'Alanis' and 14 on the 'Florence Spirt' — were not injured in the collision which took place south of the East Main Street tunnel, east of Welland’s Memorial Park. Three investigators from the TSB’s Quebec City-based office interviewed crew members on both vessels and downloaded data from the black boxes on each ship. The black boxes capture navigation information, and what crew members were saying on the bridges of both ships during the incident. The collision left the 'Florence Spirit' damaged on the starboard side. The 'Alanis' suffered bow damage, including a visible hole on the starboard side near the anchor port. The 'Florence Spirit' was carrying a load of coal and bound for a port in Quebec at the time, while the 'Alanis' was bound for Duluth, Minn., with a load of wind turbine parts. In the afternoon of July 28, the 'Alanis' was headed down the canal with a destination of Port Weller. The 'Florence Spirit', which had docked at Wharf 10 in Welland after the collision, was entering the harbour at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, which has a ship repair/building facility. The McKeil Marine was looking at multiple options to repair the vessel and get it back in service.

Damaged vessel to be passed with caution

Vessels on the Welland Canal were being asked to make their way slowly past the 'Florence Spirit', currently docked in Welland. The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. issued a notice on July 14, asking vessels to “proceed at the slowest safe speed when passing by Wharf 10 between Mile 16 and Mile 18 whocj is on the west side of the canal in Welland and sits east of Bradley Avenue. Transportation Safety Board investigators interviewed members of both crews and the pilot on board the 'Alanis' and downloaded data from the black boxes of both after their collision. A report into the collision investigation could take up to a year to be released. Report with photo: https://www.wellandtribune.ca/news/niagara-region/2020/07/14/damaged-bulk-freighter-moored-at-wharf-in-welland.html