(www.MaritimeCyprus.com)Â A 39-minute personal phone call discussing golf, generator financing, and holiday plans to France ended in tragedy on the Houston Ship Channel when a 656-foot bulk carrier crushed and capsized a 50-foot towing vessel, claiming a crewmember's life. The National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) marine investigation report MIR-26-24 into the collision between the bulk carrier Yangze 7 and the towing vessel Miss Peggy delivers a stark warning to the global shipping industry: nonoperational personal electronic device (PED) use on the bridge is a deadly distraction that compromises fundamental lookout duties and Bridge Resource Management (BRM).
Incident Overview
Date & Location: July 19, 2024 | Upper Houston Ship Channel, near Lynchburg, Texas
Vessels Involved: Liberian-flagged bulk carrier Yangze 7 and U.S.-flagged towing vessel Miss Peggy
Casualties & Damage: 1 fatality, 1 serious injury, and $3.7 million in combined vessel damages
The Event Sequence
On July 19, 2024, at approximately 14:04 CDT, the bulk carrier Yangze 7 was transiting inbound through the upper Houston Ship Channel under the control of a compulsory state pilot. Simultaneously, the towing vessel Miss Peggy, operating "lightboat" (without barges), was traveling inbound ahead of the bulk carrier. Weather conditions were optimal with daylight, clear visibility, and calm waters.
Despite ideal navigating conditions, the Yangze 7 closed astern on the slower-moving Miss Peggy at 9.9 knots. At 14:03:35, the bulbous bow of the bulk carrier struck the stern of the towboat. The Miss Peggy surged forward, rolled violently to starboard, capsized, and sank. Four crewmembers escaped into the water and were rescued by a nearby tugboat, but one deckhand was trapped inside the galley and drowned.
Investigation Findings & Root Causes
The NTSB determined that the probable cause of the collision was the complete loss of situational awareness by the compulsory pilot, the Yangze 7 bridge team, and the captain of the Miss Peggy, driven by a failure to maintain a proper lookout in accordance with Rule 5 of the COLREGS / Inland Navigation Rules.
Pilot Distraction via Personal Mobile Phone Use: The Houston pilot actively conning the Yangze 7 engaged in a 39-minute incoming phone call with another pilot conning an outbound vessel. Voyage Data Recorder (VDR) audio confirmed the conversation revolved around nonoperational topics (golfing, generator purchases, travel). The call ended just 2 minutes and 16 seconds prior to impact, completely blinding the pilot to the presence of the Miss Peggy directly ahead.
Breakdown in Bridge Resource Management (BRM): The Yangze 7 second officer recognized that the pilot was distracted by a nonoperational call and later stated he was "very afraid" it would cause a steering error. However, he failed to challenge the pilot or alert the ship's Master. The Master assumed the rapid English conversation was operational. This highlights a persistent power-distance dynamic on navigation bridges during pilotage.
Failure of Towboat Aft Lookout: The captain of the Miss Peggy, acting as the sole watchstander, failed to monitor traffic approaching from astern via visual checks or radar. Aft visibility was partially obstructed by a window air conditioning unit, and no crewmembers were stationed to assist with lookout duties.
Ineffective Visual Lookout on Bulk Carrier Bow: Although a bosun was posted on the bow of the Yangze 7, he was primarily focused on preparing anchors and watching an outbound tanker. He failed to spot the Miss Peggy until the bulk carrier was less than 200 feet from impact.
Regulatory Actions & Safety Recommendations
Houston Pilots Policy Update: Following the incident, the Houston Pilots updated their Navigation Safety Guidelines to strictly prohibit pilots from using cell phones or personal electronic devices for nonoperational functions while actively conning vessels.
NTSB Recommendation M-26-10 (to the U.S. Coast Guard): Develop and implement regulations prohibiting the nonoperational use of personal electronic devices by state and federal pilots, as well as any individual actively directing the movement or conning of a commercial vessel on U.S. navigable waters.
NTSB Recommendation M-26-11 (to the American Pilots' Association): Develop and publish formal policy guidance prohibiting the nonoperational use of personal electronic devices by pilots actively directing vessel movements, and strongly encourage all member pilot associations to adopt and enforce these rules.
Key Takeaway
Safety policies regarding mobile device usage are only as effective as their bridge-level enforcement. Master-Pilot Exchanges (MPX) must explicitly establish phone usage protocols, and shipowners must continue reinforcing BRM practices so watch officers feel empowered to intervene when a pilot or senior officer displays distracted behavior.
For more details, you can download the NTSB report below:
Source:Â NTSB
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