**Executive Summary**
This Casualty Circular (01 of 2017), issued by the Directorate General of Shipping, Mumbai, dated November 17, 2023, addresses a collision between vessels at Kamrajar Port on January 28, 2017, leading to oil pollution. The circular details the incident, its causes, actions taken, and lessons learned to prevent future occurrences. Key takeaways include the importance of collision regulations, communication between vessels and port control, and continuous monitoring of vessel traffic.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Incident Overview:**
* On January 28, 2017, an LPG Carrier collided with an Indian flag oil tanker at Kamrajar Port, resulting in a breach of the oil tanker's tanks.
* The collision led to an oil spill estimated at approximately 250 MT, causing significant environmental impact, contaminating the coastline, beaches, and port structures.
* Extensive cleanup operations were conducted involving Indian authorities, volunteers, and international experts.
* **Causal Factors:**
* Inadequate navigation of the LPG Carrier led to a close-quarter situation, resulting in the collision.
* Loss of situational awareness by the LPG Carrier's bridge team contributed to the collision.
* The oil tanker with a pilot on board could have better monitored the LPG Carrier and taken action that may have avoided collision.
* **Actions Taken:**
* The oil tanker was towed to anchorage after the collision.
* An oil spill boom was rigged around the vessel after it was anchored.
* After surveying the vessel, the oil tanker was berthed for cargo discharging after addressing concerns raised by the Port.
* Oil pollution response was carried out as per local laws, involving authorities, volunteers, and international experts.
* **Lessons Learned:**
* The Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972, should be followed at all times.
* Proper communication between vessels and port control is essential at all times. Vessels and port control should keep each other informed of the vessels status until clear of port waters.
* Port control should closely monitor vessels and identify potentially developing close quarter situations, taking action accordingly.
* All vessels approaching the port should closely monitor all traffic in the area, identify potentially developing close quarter situations, and take avoiding action in due time.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Vessel Operators/Owners**
* **Impact:** Affected by the need to ensure strict adherence to navigation rules, proper communication protocols, and constant monitoring of vessel traffic to prevent collisions and environmental damage.
* **Action Required:** Reinforce training on collision prevention, communication protocols, and navigational awareness.
**Stakeholder: Port Control Authorities**
* **Impact:** Responsible for closely monitoring vessel movements within the port area and identifying potential close-quarter situations to prevent collisions and subsequent oil spills.
* **Action Required:** Enhance monitoring procedures, improve communication with vessels, and implement proactive measures to avoid collision situations.
**Stakeholder: Pilots**
* **Impact:** Expected to actively monitor surrounding traffic, particularly other vessels, and take necessary actions to prevent collisions while guiding vessels in and out of port.
* **Action Required:** Enhance monitoring procedures of other traffic to ensure safety and take preventive measures to avoid collisions.
**Stakeholder: Directorate General of Shipping (DGS)**
* **Impact:** Responsible for disseminating the information about the incident, its causes, and the lessons learned to all stakeholders to prevent similar incidents in the future.
* **Action Required:** Ensure that all relevant parties are aware of the findings and recommendations outlined in the circular.
**Stakeholder: Coastal Communities and Environment**
* **Impact:** Exposed to pollution in coastal environment.
* **Action Required:** N/A
Key Entities Referenced
Kamrajar Port: Location of the oil spill incident.
Directorate General of Shipping, Mumbai: Issuer of the casualty circular.
Casualty Circular - 01 of 2017: The specific circular documenting the collision and oil spill incident.
Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways: The government ministry overseeing maritime affairs.
Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972: Referenced international convention relevant to maritime safety.
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F. No.25-1901 DaIe:\7 .11.2023
Casualty Circular - 01 of 2017
Sub.: Collision between vessel leadinq to oil poll}tion in the area
Summary of Incident:
Indian flagged oil tanker arrived at Kamraj ar port on26 lut 2017 for discharging cargo
of clean refined petroleum products. On 28 Jan 2017 erly AM hrs, pilot boarded the vessel and
it commenced its approach to the port, and at the same time Isle of Man flag LPG Carrier was
departing port. The LPG Carrier on its outbound passage, while in the port channel got delayed
in tuming to port, which lead vessel to come close to one of the channel buoys, and the bridge
team lost situational awareness about presence of another vessel i.e the Indian flag oil tanker,
with whom a close quarter situation developed. The oil tanker altered course to clear the LPG
Carrier, however bow ofLPG Carrier collided with the oil tanker at the break of accommodation,
breaching the Fuel oil Tank (Port), Slop Tank (Port) and water Ballast tank #4 (Port). The I-PG
Carrier went astem and cleared the vessel, however due to leakage of fuel oil from the breached
tank, caused oil pollution on the area. Initially it was reported that oil spilled was about 2 MT or
less, however it was ascertained by calculations that about 250 MT of oil may have escaped,
causing signifi cant environment impact.
The oil spilled had washed ashore contaminating the coastline and the beaches in the
area, and had also contaminated the strucnres within the port. An extensive clean-up operation
was carried out involving all stakeholders, involving Indian authorities, volunteers and
intemational experts.
Causal Factors:
1. In adequate navigation of LPG Canier, led to close quarter situation between the vessels,
which resulted in collision.
2. Loss of situational awareness on the LPG Carrier caused the bridge team in taking actions
which exacerbated the developing situation, eventually leading to collision.
3. The oil tanker which had a pilot on board could have better monitored the LPG carrier
and could have taken action which may have avoided collision.
Action Taken:
1. After collision oil tanker was towed to anchorage.
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Si{ffel No.: +91-22-2575 2o4ol1l2l3 ftffi/Fu"., +91-22-2575 2o2gl35 {-tfr/Email: dgship-dgs@nic.in {fl-f{z/Website: www.dgshipping.gov.in2. Oil spill boom was rigged around the vessel after it was anchored.
3. After surveying the vessel, and addressing the concems raised by ^'on, oil tanker was
benhed for cargo discharging.
4. Oil pollution response carried out as per local laws, and involved authorities, volunteers,
and intemational experts.
Lessons Learnt:
1. Convention on the lntemational Regulations for Preventing Collisions al Sea, 1972
should be followed at all times.
2. There should be proper communication between vessels and port control at all times till
clear ofport waters, keep vessels in the area and port informed about the vessels status.
3. Port conftol should monitor vessel closely and identiff potentially cl:veloping close
quarter situations and take action accordingly.
4. All vessel approaching port should closely monitor all traffic in the area and identify
potentially developing close quarter situations and take avoiding action in due time.
(Capt. Vikram Singh Manhas)
Dy. Nautical Adviser cum Sr. DDG (Tech.)
To,
All stakeholders through DGS website.