Platform supply vessel involved in a near-miss whilst on location

The Marine Safety Forum has published the following safety alert regarding a near miss in the 500m zone. A PSV entered the 500m zone at an excessive speed. The excessive entry speed and direction of approach was observed by the other watch officer on the vessel and also by the crew of the installation who alerted the vessel accordingly.

Thorough investigation revealed the following:

• Senior Officer confirmed the vessel was moving at a speed in excess of normal approach speed;
• The 500m pre-entry checks were conducted further away from the installation than normal due to the vessel maintaining what was considered to be a safe distance while dodging infield traffic;
• The officer on watch had become overly fixated with course over ground and therefore failed to notice he had not yet reduced speed;
• The vessel pre-entry checklist and that of the installation had differing requirements with regard to when radars should be switched off.

Whilst within the 500m zone, Rule 6 of the Collision Avoidance Regulations (COLREGs) apply:

“Every vessel shall at all times proceed at a safe speed so that she can take proper and effective action to avoid collision and be stopped within a distance appropriate to the prevailing circumstances and conditions”.

Further information is available at marinesafetyforum.org/images/msf-safety-alert-16.02%201.pdf