Comments on: US Navy Destroyer Collides With Japanese Oil Tanker [IMAGES, VIDEO]

By: James Jones

James Jones — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 19:26:54 +0000

Being a former watchstander, and having litigated several collision cases to verdict, my take is that there is always plenty of fault to go around in any collision at sea.

By: johan van Ham

johan van Ham — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 18:49:12 +0000

“If you see it´s gray, stay away”…well in the European Navies it is the other way around. We are very respectful and prudent with merchant ships. Not because they are bad, not at all, but they are much more limited as warships. The warships has a full manned bridge and opsroom while proceeding with powerfull gasturbines and diesels, consuming at States costs. The european naval commanders has TOO worked up their way up in watckeeping and opsroomduties. They are professionals. And never ever are they calling on VHF “change course and stay away” With what authority?

By: George Hale

George Hale — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 20:09:40 +0000

Back in 1944 I learned “Every vessel in fog,rainstorm or heavy snow,hearing the fog signal of another vessel
,apparently forward of her beam, the position of which is not immediately ascertained, shall so far as the circumstances of the case admit, stop her engines and proceed with c aution until danger of collision is over. (I’M sure the rules have changed since then, but the last few words tell it all–even at night.)

By: Max Hardberger

Max Hardberger — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 13:42:24 +0000

Ronnie–I agree.

By: 1200PSi

1200PSi — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 19:43:17 +0000

Yep back at school… a log, a bathtub and many other things could be considered a vessel under the Navigation Rules.

By: Ben Stanfield

Ben Stanfield — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 15:22:34 +0000

Maybe they were going for two collisions in one day.

By: Ben Stanfield

Ben Stanfield — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 15:22:16 +0000

I don't know but two nights ago when we were transiting the straights a navy vessel came at us at a 90 degree angle into the separation scheme and then turned in towards us within .2 of a mile. Not sure which navy it was, the genius one I guess.

By: Bill McKinley

Bill McKinley — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 07:04:35 +0000

Just proves what we were all taught back at the school ship many years ago.. "If you see gray, stay away".

By: Chandra Purnama

Chandra Purnama — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 02:34:55 +0000

My experience dealing with American warships: they sometimes use these terms, units, which are not commonly used by merchant mariner….
that's confusing, so it sometimes causes a state of danger in the sea, even collision.

By: Ronald Francis Eschete

Ronald Francis Eschete — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 02:05:20 +0000

We will have to wait for more details, but both vessels are under a very real duty to avoid collision and in my experience it is difficult to get a U.S. warship to cooperate in many cases. And the time of the collision is also suspect as this is the 3rd Mate watch. Most accidents happen during these hours. It is also not uncommon to have difficulty working with a foreign flag OOW who is scared to deviate from his orders and who will lock up. You have to avoid a collision, not continue into a close quarters situation that can quickly get out of control. The U.S. warship may be shown to have been the stand on vessel, but also a cause of the collision due to its not avoiding an avoidable accident.