“””A lot of those merchant ships don’t even man their pilothouse — there is literally nobody at the wheel or even looking for other ships”””
“..I doubt the accuracy of this statement...”
It is true. They at times put the merchant ship on auto-pilot at night. Living in coastal areas much of my life I have heard many stories of fishing boats being sunk, or other ships taking evasive actions because the cargo ships and tankers had no one at the helm during the early hours of the morning.
You can doubt it if you'd like, but those ships are often just put on autopilot. I have literally seen it multiple times - merchant seamen running out to the pilothouse when the collision alarm goes off from the autopilot.
You can doubt it if you'd like, but those ships are often just put on autopilot. I have literally seen it multiple times - merchant seamen running out to the pilothouse when the collision alarm goes off from the autopilot.