A Coast Guard investigation into the grounding in March of the container ship Ever Forward in the Chesapeake Bay determined the incident’s causal factors to be the pilot’s failure to maintain situational awareness, and attention while navigating, and inadequate bridge resource management.
As the same time, the Maryland Department of Labor Chief Strategy Officer Joseph E. Farren said yesterday, that the Maryland Board of Pilots (Board), in a unanimous decision, voted to summarily suspend the operating license of the captain on 20th of October who was the pilot of the MV Ever Forward at the time of its grounding. As it is mentioned furthermore, he will have the opportunity for a hearing to formally challenge the board’s decision in this matter.
In a news release on Tuesday, the Coast Guard specifically cited “the pilot’s failure to maintain situational awareness and attention while navigating, and inadequate bridge resource management.”
Specifically, the U.S. Coast Guard sector Maryland-National Capitol Region completed its marine casualty investigation on Tuesday, into the March 13, 2022, grounding of the Hong Kong flagged container ship Ever Forward, grounded in the Chesapeake Bay on March 13 while transiting, with 4,964 containers aboard, from the Port of Baltimore to Norfolk, Virginia. A comprehensive salvage plan to free the ship was developed, and implemented, including dredging and towing operations, which freed the Ever Forward on Sunday, April 17, 2022.
Based on the finding of facts, the Coast Guard is recommending that marine operators develop, and implement effective policies outlining when the use of cell phones, and other portable electronic devices is appropriate or prohibited, and that vessel owners and operators ensure, and promote crew awareness of policies, regarding the duties, and obligations of officers on watch for the safety of the ship, even when a pilot is embarked.
Source: U.S. Coast Guard 5th District Mid-Atlantic
