Cruise ship errors result in warning
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) says four recent errors in shipping navigation have prompted them to add the issue to its watchlist.
They include passenger vessel L’Austral grounding at Milford Sound in February 2017, the same vessel making contact with rocks on Snares Islands a month earlier, and passenger ship Azamara Quest making contact with Wheki Rock in Tory Channel in January.
While none of the errors in pilotage waters resulted in loss of life, serious injury or damage, all could have had ‘‘severe consequences’’ said TAIC chief commissioner Jane Meares.
‘‘Errors in navigation in pilotage waters carry the risk of serious consequences for people, the environment, and the economy.’’
TAIC created a new watchlist item to focus the attention of regulators, operators, and training providers on solving the problem, she said.
Pilotage waters are largely areas where a ship must use the services of a maritime pilot, who is an experienced and skilled sailor with detailed knowledge of a particular waterway.
‘‘The common thread in these incidents is poor application of an international standard for safe navigation of a ship.
‘‘The phenomenon of the team on a ship’s bridge not applying an international standard is a safety issue of serious concern; it demands immediate attention.’’
Meares said if one of the cruise ships had sunk there could have been significant loss of life.
Further consequences included risk to the environment of oil spills, and negative impacts on the economy, she said.
‘‘The cruise ship sector is becoming more important as an aspect of New Zealand tourism, and it could potentially be affected,’’ Meares said.
TAIC manager of surface investigations Martin Harper said the pilot and the bridge team needed to be fully aware at all times.
As technology had improved there was a real need for people to be trained well to use the equipment, he said.
‘‘Bridge resource management is so important. It’s the language, it’s the communication, it’s having the same plan, it’s situational awareness and the cultural issues . . . most importantly it’s the communication between pilots and the bridge team and making sure those two groups combine as one and work as a unit.’’