Bw-Levant

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on March 2, 2021, has issued a marine accident brief on its investigation into the allision of the 'Levant' with the Petrogas Ferndale Wharf in Ferndale on Dec 15, 2010. The probable cause of the accident was the pilot's approach with excessive speed and at too steep an angle, resulting from the pilot's and bridge team's poor bridge resource management. The brief reminded mariners that the master/pilot exchange is a critical opportunity for a pilot and bridge team to establish and share necessary information for the task ahead. The investigation also revealed that distraction may have played a factor. Both the pilot and master were likely distracted by a non-pertinent conversation about three minutes before the contact. While in this conversation, they likely missed opportunities to detect the vessel?s speed and movement toward the mooring dolphin and the point at which the pilot intended to turn to the wharf.

In the morning of Dec 14, 2019, the 'Levant' allided with the terminal pier of the Alcoa Intalco Works gas terminal at Femdale during mooring operations. The ship suffered a hull breach It was loaded with 33,000 tons of propane and butane. After offloading, the tanker was moved to Port Angeles where it arrived on Dec 17 and remained stationary by Dec 25. Strong wind was thought to have been the cause of the accident.