Pl. Stefana Batorego 4, 70-207 Szczecin
The State Maritime Accident Investigation Commission has deemed it expedient to issue recommendations on safety, which are proposal of action, which could contribute to preventing similar accidents in future, to the following entities:
State Maritime Accident Investigation Commission recommends that the Director of the Maritime Office in Gdynia should amend § 129 of the Standing Order No 5 of the Director of Maritime Office in Gdynia of 20 February 2013 – Port Regulations so that it clearly specified the place of pilot disembarkation for ships of large draught. The Commission recommends that the place should be located at least 5 cable lengths from the G1-G2 buoy pair.
The Commission suggests the following wording of the paragraph: § 129. 1. Ships of length of 60 m and more shall be obliged to use pilotage service.
2. Ships carrying dangerous cargo or ships of draught of more than 9 m shall embark the pilot at GD buoy or at the appropriate anchorage.
3. Ships of smaller draught shall embark the pilot at the fairway before the gate G-1 – G-2 at the latest.
4. Embarkation of the pilot at other places than defined in subparagraph 1 and 2 shall be carried out under the consent of Harbour Master.
5. The pilot may disembark a ship leaving the port after passing gates G-1 – G-2, and in the case of a ship of draught exceeding 9 m – at the distance of at least 0.5 nautical mile east to the gate.
6. Earlier disembarkation of the pilot, justified by the actual weather conditions, may take place under the consent of Harbour Master and the master of pilot vessel.
State Maritime Accident Investigation Commission recommends that Transocean Maritime Agencies should instruct the masters of its ships to comply with good maritime practices and navigate the ships in person in pilot waters, to supervise in person the manoeuvres related to disembarkation of the pilot and to hand over the ship to the watch officer after disembarkation of the pilot to the pilot board and exit of the ship to sailing waters that are safe for navigation.
