On January 23, 2015, at 0432 central standard time, the offshore supply vessel Connor Bordelon struck the unmanned natural gas platform South Timbalier 271A, which was located about 5.25 miles south of the jetty channel entrance at the vessel's home port of Port Fourchon, Louisiana. The allision caused the pipelines attached to the platform to rupture and the natural gas and oil inside the pipelines to ignite. After the allision, the pipelines were shut down, and three good Samaritan vessels in the area applied water to put out the fire. The allision also caused a breach in the Connor Bordelon's hull below the waterline, and the vessel began taking on water. The captain contacted the US Coast Guard to report the accident, and the Coast Guard released the Connor Bordelon from the accident area and allowed it to continue to Port Fourchon while the crew addressed the flooding. None of the 24 persons aboard the vessel were injured.

​​The probable cause of the allision of the offshore supply vessel Connor Bordelon with the unmanned natural gas platform South Timbalier 271A was the failure of the mate on watch to ensure that the bridge teammaintained a proper lookout, and his delay in changing from the autopilot to manual steering, which precluded him from taking the necessary action to prevent the allision with the platform.

​​Voyage planning

The company’s safety manual provided instructions on how to execute a voyage plan that would mitigate the risks of navigating through the congested waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It is important for vessel owners and operators to verify that the safety procedures in their manuals, including those for drawing course lines that avoid chartered obstructions and other hazards to navigation, are being followed.

Watchstanding practices

The officer of the watch needs to ensure that a proper lookout is posted during navigation. In this case, the officer did not designate one of the available watchstanders as the lookout, resulting in a missed opportunity to detect the platform earlier.

Use of electronic chart display and information system

The Connor Bordelon was equipped with state-of-the art technology, including an ECDIS. The vessel had been operated for more than 1 year before the accident, but crewmembers had not yet taken certification courses in the use of the ECDIS. It is important for vessel owners and operators to ensure that their crews are proficient in the use of all electronic bridge equipment in a timely manner.​