Safety fears have erupted in Gibraltar after two giant ships crashed when departing the British Overseas Territory’s waters. The LNG carrier SM Kestrel made contact with the anchored bulk carrier Diamond Star II while manoeuvring in the bay at around 1pm on Monday despite being equipped with “state of the art vessel tracking technology”.
The ship was attempting to exit the western anchorage. Both ships are now undergoing damage inspection and remain at the anchorage until further notice. No injuries were reported and no pollution occurred, and neither vessel suffered significant damage, according to Gibraltar authorities.
An investigation has been launched into how the ships bumped into each other, sparking debate over the need for a pilot when departing Gibraltar’s congested waters, the Olive Press reports.
Currently, vessels departing Gibraltar’s waters do not require a pilot to be on board. Gibraltar’s regulations only require pilots for berthing and unberthing and not for departing the anchorage.
Earlier this year Gibraltar’s maritime authority called for compulsory use of pilots for vessels in the anchorage after Bulk Carrier OS 35 IMO9172399 collided with the LNG tanker ADAM LNG in 2022.
The ship was loaded with 183 tonnes of heavy fuel oil, 250 tonnes of diesel and 27 tonnes of lube oil. It was carrying 24 crew. At the time tugs were deployed and booms were placed around the vessel to contain oil spills.
The incident happened as the OS 35 manoeuvred between Catalan Bay and Sandy Bay to leave Gibraltar for Vlissengen in the Netherlands.
A report into the accident says the incident occurred due to poor planning and that the captain misjudged the maneuver resulting in the casualty concluding a pilot very likely would have prevented the incident.
“The master of OS 35 made an error of judgment, which was not detected by the bridge team,” concludes the report. “Had a pilot been embarked, it is considered very likely that an alternative maneuver would have been used to depart the anchorage, which would not have included the prolonged astern maneuver. Had a pilot been aboard, it is considered very likely that the collision would have been prevented.”