Fatal accident drives industry to improve tugboat safety

Industry has improved safety on tugboats and towage operations in the UK following the fatal accident and loss of tugboat Biter as it assisted passenger vessel Hebridean Princess off Greenock, Scotland in February 2023.

It is following recommendations in the Marine Accident Investigation Branch’s (MAIB) report into the girting and capsize of this Clyde Marine Services-operated tug, published on 13 November 2024.

The MAIB’s report was a sobering indictment of systemic vulnerabilities in conventional towage operations. The loss of two lives while Biter was assisting Hebridean Princess was not just a tragedy – it was a call to action. Among the most critical stakeholders named in the report were the UK Harbour Masters’ Association, UK Maritime Pilots’ Association, British Tugowners Association (BTA), and the Workboat Association. Their collective response has been a blend of reflection, collaboration and unity.

In the months following the report’s release, the industry watched closely for leadership from its representative bodies. In the background, the initial reaction was that all named associations contacted each other, developed a plan and then officially responded to the MAIB as per the MAIB’s requirements.  

The MAIB recommended the associations develop and disseminate best practice guidance, a recommendation that is tougher than it appears, following initial public engagement.

There has historically been no unity on the art of conventional towage. Often it is geographically lead. The industry has grown independently, without any previously shared best practice or clear identification of the best safe methods of design or working. Any shared information or regulation has generally been related to emergency tow releases, something that occurs following a tug already entering a girting scenario.

For this reason, co-ordinated public messaging from the associations on the MAIB’s recommended actions was halted until early 2025. By March 2025, momentum was in full swing with new technical guidance released on gob rope and towline testing to help operators assess the integrity and rigging of critical safety equipment.

Working with the UK Maritime Pilots’ Association and UK Harbour Masters’ Association, the BTA helped develop a standardised communication framework to be incorporated into the Port Marine Safety Code Guide to Good Practice in pilot and tug exchange protocols.

The associations also supported the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to review this code. It was republished as Ports & Marine Facilities Safety Code in April 2025 and features indepth coverage of the use of tugs and harbour craft for towage.

These publicised efforts marked a turning point. It demonstrated that, while maybe the responses appeared quiet at first, the associations have aligned around shared safety goals.

And more is happening. A joint industry best-practice document is in the final stages of development for gob rope use good practice, having been created with the industries most experienced tug masters, stakeholders and operators. Publication is planned for Q3 2025.

Simulator training software has been developed for conventional tugs, and testing is underway, with some formats of the system already available within the UK.  

There is potential to roll-out more simulator-based training to ports and facilities across the UK, bringing continued professional development to all stakeholders of conventional towage.

Associations are working with academics to put data behind the use and position of gob systems, underpinning what the industry has learned through experience with hard data. This could lead to an industrywide uptake of best practice based upon supported facts and experience combined.

There is still room for improvement, despite these steps forward, as gaps remain. There is no unified training standard endorsed across industry for conventional tug operations. The Voluntary Towage Endorsement Scheme does not currently have an endorsement for conventional towage operations.

There have also been inconsistencies when engaging with smaller operators and regional ports. This campaign needs to incorporate a methodology for ensuring industrywide take-up of the actions; standardised procedures for designing, testing and using gob ropes; and enhanced training and awareness around conventional tug operations.

The Biter tragedy underscored the lethal consequences of weak co-ordination and communications at several levels, and although the design of the vessels may be traditional, the practices of how to operate them need to be up to date.  

Industry associations now look to move beyond reactive guidance and towards proactive leadership. This includes championing new training frameworks; advocating for regulatory updates that reflect more diverse towage risks; and ensuring best practice guidance reaches every tug operator, pilot and harbour master – not just those already engaged.

The associations are not only acting, they are now showing they can lead.