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Report: Pilot and master faulted in allision
The National Transportation Safety Board has determined that the 2016 allision of the "Nordbay" on the Lower Mississippi River was caused by the pilot and the master not adequately assessing the risks of handling the ballasted vessel during high-river conditions with strong following currents while turning into the wind. On Feb. 2, 2016, at 10.13 p.m. the tanker was southbound on the Lower Mississippi River in New Orleans with a pilot on board when it allided with a dock and water intakes on the left descending bank. Less than an hour later, as the vessel maneuvered through another bend in the river while heading toward an anchorage, it allided with a wharf on the left descending bank. No pollution or injuries were reported. The dock, water intakes, the wharf, and the "Nordbay" sustained an estimated $6.4 million in total damage. In addition to the pilot and the master not adequately assessing the risks of handling the ballasted vessel during high-river conditions, the NTSB said in its Marine Accident Brief that another contributing factor was the bridge team’s poor situational awareness of the vessel’s position in the waterway. Contributing to the second allision was the master’s distraction from his duties while making a phone call. The full NTSB brief can be viewed here: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/MAB1730.pdf
Dock facility owner claims damage caused by Nordbay
A dock facility owner claims the facility was damaged by the "Nordbay". The River Transport Services LLC filed a complaint on Jan. 24 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana against Nordbay Shipping CV, Reederei Nord BV, The Swedish Club and the "Nordbay" alleging negligence. According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on Feb. 2, 2016, defendant the "Nordbay"'s operators failed to take necessary steps to avoid alliding with plaintiff's facility. As a result of the allision, the plaintiff alleged it suffered physical damages and loss of use of the facility, together with other damages and expenses, in an amount of no less than $3,300,000. The plaintiff holds Nordbay Shipping CV, Reederei Nord BV, The Swedish Club and the "Nordbay" responsible because the defendants allegedly negligently assigned an inadequate and incompetent crew to the vessel and failed to maintain the vessel in a safe condition. The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment against the defendants in such amounts to be proved at trial, plus interest, costs and attorneys’ fees, an order that the "Nordbay" be seized, condemned and sold and the proceeds of the sale be used to satisfy plaintiff’s judgment and all such other and further relief. It is represented by Bruce Brown and William Mizell of Coleman, Johnson, Artigues & Brown LLC in New Orleans.
USCG investigating doulbe allision
The US Coast Guard was investigating the allision of the "Nordbay" struck the Jefferson Parish water intake just up river from New Orleans on Tuesday night. The vessel was being directed down the river and while it was en route, the Coast Guard said the tank hit the Gov. Nicholls Street Wharf. The vessel sustained a hole in the hull, which reportedly discharged ballast water. There are no reports of pollution or injuries. Officials found no visible damage in the water intakes. Harbor police inspected the wharf and found no damage. The "Nordbay" remained moored in New Orleans on Feb 5.
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