About 0712 local time on February 18, 2014, the US-registered offshore supply vessel Tristan Janice allided with a natural gas production platform in the northern Gulf of Mexico, about 54 miles south-southwest of Houma, Louisiana. No one was injured and no water pollution resulted from the allision. However, the vessel and the platform sustained about $545,000 in total damage, and a substantial amount of natural gas escaped into the atmosphere from a ruptured supply pipe.
The probable cause of the allision of offshore supply vessel Tristan Janice with a natural gas production platform was the poor watchkeeping and operational practices of the captain and the mate to ensure that the vessel was safely navigated, and the vessel owner's inadequate procedures and oversight of the vessel's safety management system.
Voyage Planning
Voyage Planning It is prudent for vessel crews to establish a voyage plan before getting under way. Voyage plans should identify hazards to navigation along the intended route, considering factors such as (but not limited to):
- Restricted waters
- Weather conditions
- Ice
- Restricted visibility
- Traffic separation schemes, and
- Areas of extensive tidal effects
Voyage plans should be made from dock to dock, outlining courses, expected times of course changes, speeds, available aids to navigation for fixing positions, and alternative routes or areas of refuge.
For additional information, see STCW Annex 1, Part A, Section A-VIII/1 and Coast Guard NVIC 3-98.
