TSB releases report into MV Confederation’s 2022 grounding off Nova Scotia

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CARIBOU, N.S. — A brand new Transportation Security Board investigation report sheds extra mild on the seven-hour grounding of the MV Confederation final fall however doesn’t reply any questions as to what precipitated the steering failure that led to it.

On the morning of Sept. 4, 2022, the passenger ferry departed the Caribou ferry terminal in Nova Scotia “with the tide ebbing and a light-weight breeze.”

Every thing was superb till 5 minutes into the crusing when an obvious steering malfunction precipitated the Confederation to maintain turning quickly to starboard because it handed Monroe’s Island.

The crew rapidly dropped each anchors and went to work figuring out the issue whereas additionally informing 217 passengers of mechanical points.

After figuring out the rudder was nonetheless working, crews tried to lift the anchors however have been unsuccessful. Additional makes an attempt utilizing the propellers to ease the load on the anchors precipitated each engines to close down.

It was then “the crew decided that the vessel was aground on a mud financial institution as a result of falling tide” and it wasn’t lengthy earlier than the Confederation started itemizing to port.

The TSB says it was a “involved third get together” that put the primary name into the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax, who handed it alongside to Sydney Marine Communications and Site visitors Providers (MCTS) to contact the vessel.

A little bit over three hours into the ordeal, with the ocean stage starting to rise, two passengers have been transferred to a fishing vessel utilizing a pilot ladder so they may catch a flight in Charlottetown.

At about 2:30 p.m., the Canadian Coast Guard vessel Cape Spry arrived from Souris attaching a tow line to stabilize the Confederation and it wasn’t lengthy earlier than the ship was freed from the mud with anchors up and engines again to life steaming to port in Caribou.

As soon as docked and offloaded, a dive inspection discovered no harm and vessel upkeep didn’t flip up any points apart from a couple of free wires within the steering gear system and controls.

The vessel was again in service on Sept. 5

The investigation decided that, on the time of the incidence, the steering controls, steering gear, and rudder blade have been functioning as designed. The TSB was unable to find out why the vessel didn’t reply to hard-to-port rudder inputs by the quartermaster.

In its report, the board says the Confederation ought to have notified the Coast Guard earlier, declaring that Northumberland Ferries’ personal emergency response plan requires an incident to be reported straight away.

The authority additionally highlighted inaccuracies in each passenger and crew rely, highlighting how related issues led to 2 lacking passengers and in the end declared lifeless within the 2006 sinking of the Queen of the North.

The TSB does commend Northumberland on security actions taken for the reason that incident.

The total report and extra data on the investigation are available online.