The Cook Strait cargo vessel Kent, which ran aground in Wellington harbour in July, was involved in a near-miss with the passenger ferry Arahura a year ago which could have caused "large numbers" of fatalities.
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) today released a report on the near-miss involving the two
vessels at the entrance of Tory Channel in the Marlborough Sounds on September 14 last year.
The report has prompted an upgrade of navigational procedures in the narrow and increasingly busy shipping lane.
The early morning incident occurred when Arahura, entering Tory Channel from Cook Strait, met the Kent travelling in the opposite direction. The Kent slowed down to allow Arahura to enter the channel before the two ships passed.
But in slowing down, the master of the Kent had difficulty maintaining control of his ship and the two vessels passed perilously close to each other.
"While neither ship sustained any damage nor were there any injuries, the potential existed for a collision or grounding that could have resulted in substantial damage or large numbers of injuries or fatalities," the report said.
In its report, the TAIC recommended Marlborough District Council, which administers maritime navigation in the area, to "mandate and enforce a traffic management system for vessels transiting Tory Channel that is unambiguous and takes account of the different types and speeds of vessels typically using the passage".
The commission also recommended the marine operations managers of the companies that operate the two ships "conduct a risk assessment of navigation in confined waters".
A report on the grounding of the Kent in Wellington harbour in July this year will be released in January.
- NZPA
