Sometimes things don’t happen according to plan, and when you’re operating a big ship in a narrow channel such as the Panama Canal, a ship’s crew needs to know exactly what to do in order to avert disaster.
Fortunately for the owner of the Pacific Bless, a 2012-built, 57k DWT bulk carrier, quick and appropriate actions by the ship’s crew and/or a Panama Canal Pilot saved the day when their ship suddenly veered out of the channel and began heading straight toward shore in the Panama Canal.
The smoke emanating from the bow is from the windlass and anchor chain which was released by the deck crew in an effort to stop the ship…