Malta – Marine Safety Investigation into tanker-fishing vessel collision

Transport Malta issued the report of its investigation of the 4 September 2019 collision of the laden tanker Kanala and the Chinese fishing vessel Liaodanyu 23626 on the Bohai Sea off the Chinese coast. As the two vessels were about to pass, the fishing vessel crossed the tanker’s bow with its trawling gear trailing behind. The trawling gear was snagged by the tanker, resulting in the foundering of the fishing vessel and the loss of one person on board.

Background info

On 04 September 2019, the managers of MT Kanala notified the Marine Safety Investigation Unit (MSIU) that Kanala had been in a collision with a fishing vessel in position 39° 02ʹ N 120° 49ʹ E (Bohai Sea, China). Kanala, laden with a full cargo of gasoline was en route to Sakai, Japan. Following the collision, the Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) of the People’s Republic of China instructed the master to alter course and anchor at Laotieshan Anchorage, China in order to carry out an investigation.

Preliminary information indicated that FV Liaodanyu 23626 was engaged in pair trawling with sister FV Liaodanyu 23625. Both fishing vessels were making way at three knots. Just before the collision, FV Liaodanyu 23625 cast off the trawling gear. Following a thorough review of the evidence submitted to the MSIU, the safety investigation established that when Kanala was about to pass the fishing vessels, FV Liaodanyu 23626 crossed the bow with the trawling gear trailing behind her. Kanala snagged the trailing gear which resulted in the fishing vessel foundering with the loss of one person on board.

Click below to download the Malta Marine Safety Investigation report

Source: Transport Malta