Accident report: lack of training causes fatal tug capsize 

Maritime pilots need better training in operating various types of tugboats and to understand their limitations and vulnerabilities to prevent future fatal accidents.

This was one of the key messages from the UK Government’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch’s (MAIB) report into the deadly capsizing of a harbour tug in Scotland in Q1 2023.

Other recommendations to the wider maritime and ports sectors were to share detailed towage plans, improve risk assessment, gain better understanding of how speed impacts towing forces, and keep hatches closed to maintain watertight integrity.

The MAIB investigated the sudden and fatal capsize and sinking of the tug Biter, with the loss of two lives, off Greenock, Scotland on 24 February 2023. This twin-screw conventional tug girted and capsized while attached to the stern of passenger vessel Hebridean Princess, which was making its approach to James Watt Dock. Biter’s two crew were unable to escape from the capsized vessel and died in the cold river Clyde waters.

“Tug Biter’s accident was another cruel lesson of how rapidly things can go dreadfully wrong,” said the UK government’s chief inspector of marine accidents, Andrew Moll.

“In less than 10 seconds the tug capsized, and two experienced seafarers lost their lives, because of a breakdown of the systems that should have kept them safe.”

Several safety issues were identified by the MAIB during its accident investigation, including how the marine pilot’s training had not prepared them to work with conventional tugs.

Ship master-pilot and pilot-tug exchanges were incomplete and there was no shared understanding of the towage and ship manoeuvring plan, the MAIB discovered.

Also, the passenger vessel’s master and the tug masters were unable to challenge the pilot’s intentions.

The MAIB said, “The passenger vessel’s speed placed a significant load on the tug’s lines and almost certainly caused the gob rope to render. The tug’s gob rope did not prevent it being girted and the tug’s rapid capsize meant the crew had insufficient time to release its towlines.”