Towboat Contact with Moored Barges During Fleeting Operations

By
Mfame Editor
-
25

  • Poor Visibility Leads to Barge Contact.
  • Unlit Moored Barges Increase Collision Risk.
  • Assisting Tug Movement Causes Unintended Drift.

In the early hours of December 10, 2023, the towing vessel William E Strait found itself in a bit of a predicament on the Lower Mississippi River near Norco, Louisiana. While it was at a standstill, an assisting tug, the Steel Skipper, inadvertently pushed it backwards toward a refinery dock during a barge repositioning operation. Unfortunately, the stern of the William E Strait collided with two stationary barges at the Shell Norco Refinery dock, causing damage to both the barges and the refinery itself, reports NTSB.

Conditions Leading to the Incident

  1. At the time, the William E Strait was pushing a total of 19 barges arranged in five strings. The Steel Skipper was on hand to help by moving some barges across the river and repositioning the last two within the tow.
  2. Visibility was severely hampered by dense fog and rain, dropping it to around 100 feet. Additionally, winds were blowing from the south at 15 mph, with gusts reaching up to 30 mph.
  3. The two barges moored at the refinery dock were only illuminated by a spotlight and lacked running or deck lights, making them hard to spot in such poor visibility.

Sequence of Events

Around 11:50 PM, the William E Strait arrived at mile 126.8 to drop off some barges near the Shell Norco Refinery. Fleeting operations kicked off with the Steel Skipper moving three barges to another area. After that, the Steel Skipper began repositioning the last two barges for their departure. During this process, the William E Strait was unintentionally pushed backwards about 400 feet toward the dock. Unfortunately, the mate on the William E Strait didn’t recognise the impending danger in time to engage the engines or take any evasive action. A few days later, the damage to the dock and the barges was discovered.

Lessons Learned

  1. Ensure Adequate Lighting on Moored Barges: Operators must make sure that all moored barges are properly lit in accordance with navigation rules, especially in low-visibility situations. This will help ensure they are easily seen by any approaching or nearby vessels.
  2. When barges are being repositioned by an assisting tug, Masters and mates must continuously monitor the position of the tow. Vessels should be prepared to quickly engage propulsion or apply brakes/anchors if unintended movement occurs.
  3. When visibility is limited due to fog, rain, or darkness, slow down operations or postpone non-urgent transfers. Use radar, AIS, or other electronic aids actively to track the relative positions of nearby vessels and structures.

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Source: NTSB