Collision Case Study - Issue 100

Introduction

To mark Signals’ 100th issue we have trawled the archives to identify a collision that occurred 100 years ago (even though Signals is not that old…..yet!) and which involved two of the world’s most famous ships.

North’s loss prevention guide Collisions: How to Avoid Them includes a series of collision case studies intended to generate discussion about the International Regulations for preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs) and further case studies are published in Signals from time to time. Each case study is set out as simply as possible, with the minimum information necessary to describe a developing situation. The case studies are intended to promote wide-ranging discussions about collision avoidance.

In 1911 the SS Olympic (sister ship of Titanic) collided with the battle cruiser HMS Hawke. The collision took place in the Solent as Olympic was leaving Southampton and HMS Hawke was inbound for Portsmouth. The incident attracted massive publicity and the case went from the Admiralty Court, through the Court of Appeal and on to the House of Lords for a final decision on liability

Scenario

The SS Olympic came down Southampton Water, leaving all buoys to port.

As she approached Bramble Buoy she turned hard to port, toward Spithead and the east. HMS Hawke was coming up the Solent and saw SS Olympic on her port bow. Off Egypt Point Hawke made a small alteration to starboard to give Olympic more room but neither ship reduced speed.

As SS Olympic made her turn to port she came parallel to HMS Hawke. The ships grew closer and closer and Hawke was drawn into collision with Olympic by interaction between the two vessels.

SS Olympic claimed that HMS Hawke was an overtaking vessel. HMS Hawke claimed that this was a crossing situation.

Questions

1. Is this an ‘Overtaking Situation’ (Rule 13) or a ‘Crossing Situation’ (Rule 15)?

2. As the ships approached Bramble Buoy, what action should each ship have taken?

Further Information

Members can obtain electronic versions of North’s loss prevention guide Collisions:How to Avoid Them by emailing loss.prevention@nepia.com

To obtain hard copies of the Guides, please download the Loss Prevention Order Form from our website www.nepia.com/lp-publications