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MAIB rules on ferry mishap

Ferry Online Travel News 03/04/2008

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Last December's almost collision investigated by MAIB

According to marine investigators, a ferry carrying passengers across the Channel was forced to manoeuvre quickly in order to avoid a dangerous collision with the vessel the QE2.

The incident occurred in mid-December last year and has been under investigation since that time, with conclusions only recently being published.

According to the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), the cruise liner should have been the vessel to give way, not the ferry.

Instead, the Pride of Kent, a P&O ferry, was forced to slow down, reduce speed dramatically and take responsibility for avoiding a crash. By slowing down, the ferry allowed the cruise liner to pass 0.6 miles ahead of it, avoiding a crash, casualties and pollution.

At this point, however, the MAIB has announced that it is pleased by initiatives taken by both companies to reduce the risk of future accidents.

The owner of QE2 has promised to send a letter detailing the incident to all of its fleet including lessons the company has learned and ways in which the company can ensure such close calls do not reoccur.

At the time of the incident last year, the QU2, which was travelling from Zeebrugge to Southampton, was carrying 1,822 passengers and 1,011 members of the crew.

The Pride of Kent ferry departed from Dover with 704 passengers on board and 103 crew, all bound for Calais.

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