About 0945 on September 10, 1983, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter POLAR SEA (WAGB-11) approached its regularly assigned berth at Pier 37, U.S. Coast Guard Base, Seattle, Washington, with two commercial tugs assisting. The POLAR SEA made two attempts to berth and both times was set down against a mooring dolphin at the outer end of the pier. As it backed clear of the berth in the first attempt, the POLAR SEA grazed the outer of two barges moored against the end of the pier. In the second attempt the POLAR SEA struck a passing barge under tow and again struck the outboard barge at the end of the pier, damaging it and the inboard barge, parting the outboard barge's mooring lines and destroying its deck cargo. The POLAR SEA then was maneuvered into Elliott Bay, and a third attempt to berth was successful with the use of a third tug. The damage to the three barges and the deck cargo was estimated at approximately $95,000. The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the collision of the POLAR SEA with the tug CLAUDIA FOSS and tow and the MANSON barges was the failure of the conning officer of the POLAR SEA to judge the effects of winds and currents correctly and to position the forward assisting tug properly to berth the ship at Pier 37 in the Port of Seattle, and the backing of the POLAR SEA into the Duwamish East Waterway without adequate warning to passing vessels.


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    Title :

    Marine Accident Report - Collision of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter POLAR SEA and Barges, Seattle, Washington, September 10, 1983


    Publication date :

    1984


    Size :

    18 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English