Near Collision - Mersey Ferry and Gas Tanker The Ramira 

And it was a hell of a good starboard. A good manoeuvring ship and he was back on time to avoid collision with the very nearby harbour wall. The ferry captain is ready to be sacked imo. ps. I was an experienced daily ferry traveller for years in Amsterdam. Very busy, small inner harbour and the ferry's (lots), they always dancing as ballet dancers between the professional boats to cross the harbour. Inclusive the cruise behemoths.

+Stewart Lobb The actual right of way was for the tanker but not just because of her size or her place in the channel, but simply because a vessel on the starboard side has right of way as per the old rhyme "if to your starboard, red (the port light/side) appear, 'tis YOUR duty to keep clear. To act as judgement says is proper, to port or starboard, back or stop her"

+The realist I am a qualified ships master and I advise you that you are totally misguided as the port/starboard stand on/give way rule does not apply in a navigational channel except for vessels within the fairway fact one. The larger vessel is in the main channel is clearly constrained by her ability to maneuver including stopping.and has absolute right of way over vessels encroaching on the main channel. The Tanker cannot be expected to predict the likely intended movement of vessels outside the channel. fact two. It is very clear that the tanker cannot stop to avoid tiny vessels trying to run ahead and cross their bows, plus avoidance on the tankers part could cause a major incident or oil spill. The ferries actions were contrary to every "Avoidance of collisions at Sea" rule. The ferries actions were totally outragous and risked lives, and the ferry captain should be prosecuted at the very least. Please check your facts

Stewart Lobb Yes Stewart, you are quite right and I withdraw my comments. Always happy to be corrected by a Master Mariner. Have you any comment on the speed of the tanker? Do you think she was travelling too fast?

Looks to me as if the tanker could have been more cautious, looks like 10-15 knots to me .I dont know the speed restrictions in place here.However the Tanker pilot would have been totally shocked and horrified at the crazy actions of the ferry and would not have expected this suicidal attempt to cross ahead of her. What was the Ferry thinking???

As a resident of Liverpool, I have seen and sailed on the Mersey Ferries many many times and never have I seen such recklesness. I hope the appropriate disciplinary action was taken.

Totally agree mate, he was pushing his luck from the outset, the tanker clearly has right of way.

+David Jones Exactly what that guy was thinking

except the rule is the boat to your right has right of way... guess he forgot the rules after 50 years!

The rule is any boat bigger then you has right of way.

I think the crew did not to check the depart and did not see the ship at all! Work-blindness, it was possible to start the depart, but let the tankership go first and let him pass first. Stay far and cross behind it. The ferry stays zero speed as long the tanker is passing. How can a captain explain his action, except to admit that he did not noticed the incomming ship at all when he was departing with his ferry.

There was another video taken from the Ferry....it was less than 50 feet

yep

@PADDYDOYLE Was it?

I'm literally dying here :' D

The merchant ship most likely has a pilot commanding it (pilot meaning someone who's job is to board merchant ships and pilot them through an area, then to disembark said ship and board another ship) the pilot knows the local waterways and laws and knows how fast a ship of a certain size can travel through his waterway.

I work with some people who were onboard at the time. They were doing the speed dictated by the port authorities. They called the ferry up several times on the radio and so did the VTS (vessel traffic service). No response. Only when they hung themselves on the fog horn did he respond. Complete tool acting like that while being responsible for people's lives.

further to my last....."on the right(Starboard) in the right"...the ferry boat is wrong

+1redge101 Nope, Bigger Ship always has the ROW as its far less maneuverable and cannot stop easily once it gets moving, At the pier the ferry captain should have noted the tanker was approaching, and when he pulled off the pier, the ferry should have proceeded slower as to allow the tanker to pass then proceeded across on a course behind the tanker.

Plus the tanker sits much lower in the waterway then the ferry and is restricted to the main channel.

where does it say anything about a timetable? www.collisionregs.com/MSN1781.pdf

The larger vessel does not always have the right of way. The only time a larger vessel has right of way is when that vessel can only navigate within the confines of a narrow channel or fairway. The idea that a vessel has right of way simply because it is larger is false. It is common sense and good seamanship to keep out of the way of a larger vessel, but there is no rule stating so

The outbound vessel has right of way, plus she was what is called "restricted by draught" meaning she had limited manoeverability because of her loading. The ferry was in the wrong as she should have passed to the rear of the tanker. All ferries now announce their movements via radio after this incident

+Phil owen - I'm certainly no sailor, but I could see that some other laws came into play as well-the laws of physics, supporting the draft-limited maneuverability you mentioned as well as inertial-movement strictures of mass, speed and direction. The ferry pilot appeared to be playing a game of chicken. Whether or not the ferry had the right of way, it appeared its pilot was acting irresponsibly, even if he was _dead_ right.