C4/​2001M Pusher-Barge Com­bi­na­tion ALFA/​PARA-UNO Col­li­sion with the Freighter SOR­MOVSKIY 118 within a Sep­a­ra­tion Zone in North­ern Baltic on 15.5.2001

15.12.2003

The pusher barge combination ALFA / PARA-UNO collided with the freighter SORMOVSKIY 118 in the separation zone on the northern Baltic. The damages were minor. ALFA, owned by Paratug Ltd in Turku, Finland, had left Gotland for Inkoo in Finland. ALFA. The owner of SORMOVSKIY 118 is Onego Shipping from Petrozavodsk, Russia. She was bound for St. Petersburg.

The conditions were good and there were no technical problems. It was found that the Rule of the Road was not followed. Just before the accident the look-out was in ALFA’s bridge but he did not know how to manoeuvre the vessel in the critical situation. Shortly before the OOW had to leave the bridge though the situation needed intensive observing and possible action. The investigators do not give any recommendations.