Posted on 11/18/2017 12:21:48 PM PST by Eddie01
A U.S. Navy destroyer was involved in a minor collision with a Japanese tugboat Saturday during a scheduled exercise, according to the U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet.
The USS Benfold, a guided-missile destroyer, sustained minor damage when a tugboat lost propulsion and drifted into the ship, the Navy said. No one was injured on either vessel and an initial assessment of the damage showed that the destroyer only sustained minimal damage including scrapes.
But the accident comes at a time when the Navy's 7th Fleet and the U.S. Pacific Command have come under increased scrutiny after several deadly collisions in the region earlier this year.
(Excerpt) Read more at nbcnews.com ...
Ones with trusted allies whom we have used their tug services for decades even back in the 1970's. The only foreign port my ship ever moored pier side was in Marseille, France and we as far as I know do not have a Naval Base there. We did have to have a Pilot and Tugs to get to the pier. That was in the late 1970's during the Cold War.
In this case in question the Tug lost engine that means loss of steering and braking as well for the Tug. The saving factor to limit damage is the fact it was a tug and they are designed with cushioning so they can maneuver ships into place. Depending on where they were and how tight or congested of waterway they were in they may have used a Tug to either get underway or pull in.
Great point. We have learned nothing from the Cole terrorism and the Navy since then is in horrible shape top to bottom.
No kidding. The tug boat could have been a bomb
Yemen was not a trusted alliance. Our ship should not have been there and had the State Dept and Pentagon processed Comms on time it would not have pulled in. Cole was at sea alone two days from others in the fleet. Very stupid policy. Otherwise it could have fueled at sea. Our Navy has used our more trusted alliance facilities and services for many decades. During Nam Perth Australia for example was a place our carriers and other ships went for emergency repairs. I’m also told it was a routine Liberty Port.
” the destroyer only sustained minimal damage including scrapes.”
It’ll buff out.
Exactly. Couldn’t agree more.
That does happen here more than I’d like.
Quite a few of the anti-Trump articles sucker folks in before cooler heads arrive to explain what’s really going on.
You have probably read enough of my posts to know how I feel about this stuff, but in this case, it is kind of hard to get worked up about it.
This sounds very much like nearly a normal workday incident in a busy harbor, not something that would appear in a large press outlet.
Sometimes I feel that people are becoming uncoupled from reality.
Suckers gonna get suckered! ;^)
A leftover Japanese kamikaze tugboat!?! LOL
Well, hopefully,... that would be nice.
Yes. That’s true.
Hey, I’ve joined them from time to time, so while I acknowledge the issue, I actually have participated from time to time. I do try to avoid it.
On many Navy ships it is not the crew which takes control of the Bridge on the ship the final way in but rather a harbor Pilot takes control of the Helm. He comes onboard while the ship is coming in and gets off after it is safely out. This is done to cut down on accidents and potential grounds etc. He knows the tides, depths, channels, hazards, etc and works everyday with the Tug crews. A lot of people don't know or understand what takes place pulling in and out of port. I know you know this stuff but others don't.
The thread only got 7 replies.
Japanese tug boat scrapes US Navy ship during exercise
It still netted a couple of suckerfish though.
If you’re a Russian carrier, you better always make sure a tug is part of your fleet.
I have never seen a sea going bar pilot tug in the battle group line.
Good explanation.
I am shaking my head at ALL the Naval experts on this site that apparently have no idea what a docking procedure is much less the role of a tug.
Someone hit it right on the head...all these negs on this...WHICH if not for the Two ACTUAL collissions- would be lucky to get a serious mention - other than a CYA of where that scrape on the port side came from — just feed the MSM in their war on OUR SANITY.
I used to ‘love’ it when R Limbaugh would chastise people for ‘trying to do my job’ and then launch into some serious criticism over stuff he had no ACTUAL hands on experience with...
I always wanted to tell him that I was talking on the radio while he was still trying to figure out why green peas and yellow corn ended up making that mess in his diaper.
Among the highest-paid state employees in Virginia are harbor pilots who work the Hampton Roads ports. They are tasked with piloting naval vessels—including nuclear aircraft carriers—into and out of Naval Station Norfolk. Average pay is more than $300,000 a year. Nationwide, average salary is $400,000 annually. Great pay, but no margin for error. And getting aboard the vessels they guide into port can be an adventure.
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