Towing operation went badly wrong

Ship holed while unlit barge drifted in Minch in the dark after towing operation went badly wrong

9 September 2021

A ship on a towing operation through the Minch was not suitable for the task an investigation report has found.

Its unmanned barge drifted away in the dark without any lights on after repeatedly colliding with MV Shearwater which ended up being flooded during the accident in April 2020.

MV Shearwater - then under UK flag - was immobilised after its propeller shafts were fouled by its own towline, which was being used to tow the unmanned barge, Agem One.

The Shearwater was damaged, holed and taking on water after slamming into the Agem One - which was no longer under control - a number of times.

The vessel was on a long, slow voyage between Glasgow and Eyemouth, stopping off on the way to undertake brief dredging operations.

Following a short stopover near Stoerhead, she planned to round Cape Wrath and transit through the Pentland Firth while towing the barge alongside.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) found the incident occurred as the Shearwater headed back to to seek shelter at Kinlochbervie after the 80 metre long towline repeatedly broke in choppy seas, allowing the barge to drift free.

The Shearwater tried to switch the tow set-up from a side tow to move the barge astern but her engines broke down.

By this time, the towline was entangled around her propeller shafts and they were slowly drifting north with the tidal stream.

While anchoring about a mile off the coast, the barge - which was not under control - made several heavy, damaging collisions with Shearwater’s port side before drifting free when the towline broke again.

Eventually, the situation was stabilised by the efforts of Lochinver lifeboat, MV Forth Drummer workboat and the coastguard tug, MV Ievoli Black.

Insufficient planning and poor safety procedures for the voyage caused the accident said inspectors.

Shearwater was not suitable for use as a towing vessel especially through hazardous areas such as the Pentland Firth highlights their report.

Neither did the crew have the necessary competence to undertake the operation.

Safety certification by the UK flag state did not provide sufficient assurance for safe operation of the vessel said the inspectors.

Recommendations have been made to Shearwater’s owner to assess all on board hazards and provide safe systems of work to mitigate the foreseeable risks, and to ensure the vessel is safely manned.

The report urges the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to ensure that certification of vessels such as Shearwater includes the application of all appropriate regulatory conditions relevant to the vessel’s intended function and area of operations.

RNLI Lochinver