Posted on 12/07/2022 6:04:47 AM PST by billorites
The U.S. Coast Guard says the pilot of the containership Ever Forward was distracted by his cell phone when the 1,095-foot ship grounded in the Chesapeake Bay back in March, becoming stuck for more than a month before it was eventually refloated.
U.S. Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capitol Region completed its marine casualty investigation into the incident on Tuesday.
Coast Guard investigators found that the embarked Maritime State Pilot was relying solely on his Portable Pilot Unit (PPU) to navigate the vessel as it departed Seagirt Marine Terminal in Baltimore, Maryland en route to Norfolk, Virginia, with 4,964 containers aboard.
During the course of the outbound transit, investigators discovered the pilot made a series of five phone calls amounting to over 60 minutes of time during the course of his outbound transit. He also sent two text messages and began drafting an email immediately before the grounding occurred regarding issues he experienced with line handlers back at the terminals. A few minutes before the grounding took place, the pilot had also exited the active navigation of his PPU to view a previous transit.
The Hong Kong-flagged ship grounded a little after 8:18 p.m. local time outside the Craighill Channel, east of Lighted Buoy 16, after failing to turn at its charted waypoint, while traveling at a speed of approximately 13 knots.
Ever Forward’s Master was not on the bridge at the time of the grounding, as he had departed more than a half hour before to get dinner. On the bridge at the time was the Third Officer, Deck Cadet, and an Able Bodied Seaman, who was at the helm, along with the pilot.
“At approximately 2017, the Third Officer announced on the bridge that the vessel’s heading was 161 degrees and speed was approximately 13 knots. Pilot 1 verbally acknowledged the Third Officer and took no action. The Third Officer stated that the Pilot was still looking at his phone at this time,” the report said in a timeline of events. The ship ran aground a minute later.
The Report of the Investigation determined the incident’s causal factors to be the pilot’s failure to maintain situational awareness and attention while navigating, and inadequate bridge resource management.
Take Me to the Pilot
Elton John
Produced by
Gus Dudgeon
Release Date
April 10, 1970
Take Me to the Pilot
[Verse 1]
If you feel that it’s real, I’m on trial
And I’m here, yeah, in your prison
Like a coin in your mint
I am dented and I’m spent with high treason
[Pre-Chorus]
Through a glass eye, your throne
Is the one danger zone
Take me to the pilot for control
Take me to the pilot of your soul
[Chorus]
Take me to the pilot, lead me through the chamber
Take me to the pilot, I am but a stranger
Take me to the pilot, lead me through the chamber
Take me to the pilot, I am but a stranger
[Post-Chorus]
Na na na, na na na
Na na na, na-na-na na na
Na na na, na na na
Na na na, na-na-na na na
[Verse 2]
Well, I know he’s not old
And I’m told, and I’m told he’s a virgin
Or he may be she
What I’m told is never, never for certain
[Pre-Chorus]
Through a glass eye, your throne
Is the one danger zone
Take me to the pilot for control
Take me to the pilot of your soul
[Chorus]
Yeah, yeah, take me to the pilot, lead me through the chamber
Take me to the pilot, I am but a stranger
Take me to the pilot, lead me through the chamber
Take me to the pilot, I am but a stranger
[Post-Chorus]
Na na na, na na na
Na na na, na-na-na na na
Na na na, na na na
Na na na, na-na-na na na
[Pre-Chorus]
Through a glass eye, your throne
Is the one danger zone
Take me to the pilot for control
Take me to the pilot of your soul
[Chorus]
Take me to the pilot, lead me through the chamber
Take me to the pilot, I am but a stranger
Take me to the pilot, lead me through the chamber
Take me to the pilot, I am but a stranger
[Post-Chorus]
Na na na, na na na
Na na na, na-na-na na na
Na na na, na na na
Na na na, na-na-na na na
[Outro]
(Na na na, na na na
Na na na, na-na-na na na)
Take me, take me, oh, oh
(Na na na, na na na
Na na na, na-na-na na na)
Take me, take me, yeah, yeah
(Na na na, na na na
Na na na, na-na-na na na)
Take me, take me, yeah, yeah, yeah
(Na na na, na na na
Na na na, na-na-na na na)
Na na na, na na na
Na na na, na-na-na na na
One windy day on the delaware bay. A large barge was swinging around the tug that was pulling it. most are pushers for that reason.
Watching p0rn too?
Given the scale of the machinery involved I don’t buy this explanation. A cell phone might cause a car driver to miss a stop sign or a red light or a bicyclist but c’mon man! (As Brandon might say)
Reckless.
No reason for allowing cell phones on ships.
Smh... Cell phones will be the death of us all!!
The Pilot needs to be constantly aware of the ship's location, heading & speed, especially in a narrow, winding channel.
A few minutes before the grounding took place, the pilot had also exited the active navigation of his PPU to view a previous transit
IMO, this is the crucial point.
Well heck...it’s either “Ever Forward”...or it’s not.
They can’t have it both ways.
I wonder if this is the same dumbass that put the freighter in the mud off Thomas Point some years ago. They had to offload most of the cargo to get her out of the mud,
Lyrics by Bernie Taupin.
Always loved his lyrics...................
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