Marine accident investigation report: Collision between fishing vessel Kirkella and pusher tug Shovette
Safety issues
- The pitch levers for Kirkella’s propulsion control system were mismatched between the bridge and engine control room when control was transferred
- Kirkella’s engineer had not checked the pitch lever when control was passed between the bridge and engine room
- There was no procedure for control changeover
- The classification society’s rules for remote control of engines was not aligned with the international unified requirement
Recommendations
Recommendations (2024/111 and 112) have been made to Det Norske Veritas to: propose to the International Association of Classification Societies that Unified Requirement M43.12 is reviewed to clarify its intent; and inform its customers that the Rolls-Royce Helicon-X3 system might allow remote control station changeover with mismatched levers and suggest that the manufacturer be contacted for advice.
A recommendation (2024/113) has been made to Kongsberg Maritime to issue a service letter to its customers advising that the Rolls-Royce
Helicon-X3 system remote control changeover process can allow mismatching of levers resulting in the propelling thrust altering significantly, and advise them of methods of operation and/or rectification should these be requested.
Related publications
A safety flyer to the shipping industry was produced with this report, highlighting the risk of mismatched propeller pitch levers during transfer of control together with potential mitigation of this risk.
