M/V "Astra", "Silver Star", "Blue Line", "Karina", "Victory" and "Queen"; tankers "Tallin" and "Nanennberg" (Тексты о теплоходах и танкерах для перевода на русский язык)

Story №1

M/V "Astra" gross tonnage 6753 t was being loaded in the port of Bremen. At 05.25, having embarked a pilot, she moved away from the berth and by means of two ship-handling tugs, which were given from bow and stern, went on the middle of a fairway on a heading for additional charge in other harbour of a port. Weather and visibility were good. The vessel proceeded at slow and full slow to a mooring place. Ship-handling tugs was secured on bow and stern, made slack tention of the towing ropes and held them without rendering any effect on vessel’s movement.

At 05.31 at a distance of 14 cables from the lock which was on the ship’s bow, the engine was slacken away. The vessel’s speed was at that time about 4 knots. At 05.35 when lock became at a distance of 1,5 cables the master of m/v “ASTRA” ordered slow and at once - a full speed. Having noticed under the tachometre (velocity sensor) indications that the engine did not answer, «the astern order» was given, but the engine did not answer. The master immediately informed the pilot who gave the order to tugs to hold the vessel over. At 05.36 under the master’s order to let go port anchor with 2 shackles in water in 130 m from the lock and at 05.37 – right anchor in 70 m from the lock. By that moment the bow tow had turned back along the hull of m/v «ASTRA» and tried to hold vessel’s movement back. The stern tow did not answer the pilot’s order. At 05.38 «ASTRA», having small headway, had contact with gates of the lock, having caused them serious damage. Shipping company damages were 200 thousand dollars.

Story №2

M/V «SILVER STAR» gross tonnage 3800 tons was steaming 25 November 1976 in the area of Kerch with sand cargo. Fore draught was 6,2 m, aft - 7, 42 m. Visibility was good. The wind was northern-east, force 6-7 and developed sea force 4. At 06.38 the vessel entered the Kerchensko-Yenisei channel. It took 10 minutes for the pilot to embark on board. The master told the pilot about vessel’s maneuvering characteristics, at slow speed and strong wind she answered bad. Set and velocity of tide was not fixed due to the prevailing strong wind. The bridgeteam calculated the turn maneuver to the entrance of Kerchinsky leading lights with circulation and a set of tide effect which, on the pilot’s own account, was at that time counter flow with velocity of 1-1,5 knots. Under the pilot’s assumption we decided to turn at full speed. At 07.45, on  the beam  of  buoy №42 we applied hard-a port and gave full ahead. At 07.46 on a course of 30° the vessel was on the leading lights. It became obvious that the turn was delaying. Having relied on the fact that after the crossing of a wind line it would be faster, no actions were taken. However a minute later, the bridgeteam noticed that the vessel comes nearer to the right deck edge. But after a minute we noticed that the vessel was approaching right limit of the channel. It became clear that during the turn our vessel couldn’t pass clear the safe part of the channel. Master made order to let go anchor with 1,5 shackles and slacken the vessel’s speed away. At 07.50 time the vessel was on course 311° grounded the right limit of the channel because of her headway, which had been turning the vessel. Bridgecrew made soundings around the vessel, which showed that losses of draft were 0,21 m, attempts to manage the situation without any supervision was unsuccessful. At 10.50 after discharging water from the afterpeak, the vessel by means of two tows was set afloat and anchored in the vicinity of buoy №42  and the same day proceeded to the port. 

Story №4

M/V «BLUE LINE» gross tonnage 3200 tons on October, 6th, 2000 proceeded at full speed through the river Schelde to the port of Antwerp. The weather and visibility were good. There was master, second officer of the watch, pilot and helmsman. At 12.14 «BLUE LINE» began a smooth turning to the port to steady the helm on steady up on a new course leading to the middle part of the bascule bridge (opening bridge), which was at a distance of 2 nm. During the turn at a distance about 1 mile the bridgeteam spotted the oncoming vessel which had passed the bridge. That was m/v "BREMEN". To agree port to port passing at 12.14 when it remained to her less than ½ nm, the master ordered «starboard 10°!» and sounded one short blast. The helmsman wrongly applied 5° of port rudder. On the board of m/v «BREMEN», having noticed that action, the order “hard-a-port” was made. But by that moment on board the m/v «BLUE LINE», having noticed the mistake of the helmsman, the wheel was applied hard-a-starboard and the vessel began swinging to the starboard. However, having noticed that «BREMTN» began turning to port, again the wheel was applied hard-a-port. Such rudder actions continued up to 12.18, when two vessels collided with each other in close proximity and collision became inevitable. Work of engines at full astern of both vessels was too late and the vessels ran into each other.

Story №6

 Deeply-laden Tanker "TALLIN" gross tonnage 7653 tons, was steaming from Odessa to Havana with oil products, in the morning May, 27th, 2003 and approaching the Strait of Gibraltar. At 09.00 visibility began to reduce. The other vessel, which was going the same way, which had overtaken m/v «TALLIN» and being visible before that moment ahead at a small distance, began disappearing. The radar station, an automatic fog signal device, were switched on, the steering gear was put into manual control, watch engineer was informed. Speed did not reduce. On the bridge there was the master, the officer of the watch and the helmsman, the lookout – was on a bridge wing. Proper use of radar, including scanning on 6 nm range was periodically performed by the officer of the watch. At 09.25 he detected an echo-signal ahead at a distance of less than 3 miles and immediately reported about that to the master. The Latest didn’t pay any attention on that message and continued observing visually on the port bridge wing. In 2 minutes the officer of the watch set the radar on 3 nm range scale and reported to the master that the target still remained ahead, approaching quickly, and the vessel which had overtaken the tanker, began swinging aside. The master came to the radar, but, having looked at the monitor, again went to the port bridge wing, without giving any orders. At 09.30 he saw ahead at a distance of 0,5 miles a breaker, and then the corresponding aspect of the oncoming vessel, which was m/v "BELGRAD". The captain made the order to apply hard-a-starboard and one short blast was given. But they had noticed that the oncoming vessel turned to port. The wheel was applied hard-a-port, engine was stopped and given full astern. But those actions were too late, and vessels bumped into each other at fine (acute) angle. At approaching speed of about 30 knots the damage of vessels were considerable enough. The m/v «TALLIN» was declared a constructive total loss and scrapped.

Story №7