Pasha Bulker 243 - Independent investigation into the grounding of ...

At 0906, just as the ship’s heading returned to 140º, the master ordered it to 160º. In
response, the helmsman applied nearly full starboard rudder and the ship’s head
started to swing rapidly to starboard. The wind which had been ahead was now on
the port bow. At the time, the master remarked to the chief engineer that a ship’s
heading of 140º was ‘face to face’ with the wind and ‘not good’.
As the ship’s heading approached 160º, the helmsman put the rudder amidships
then gradually applied port rudder as the ship continued to turn. By 0908, the ship’s
heading was 180º and still turning to starboard with the rudder 27º to port.
At 0909, with the ship’s heading at 200º and the rudder hard-over to port, the
helmsman informed the master that the ship was still turning to starboard. The
master told him that he should ‘take action quickly’ when steering. The ship’s
course made good had now become westerly, towards the coast.
At 0910, VTIC informed Santa Isabel’s master that the ship was approaching the
restricted area which it should clear if it was safe to do so. The ship’s master was
also advised that Sea Confidence nearby was experiencing difficulties. Santa
Isabel’s master advised VTIC that the cable fouling his ship’s anchor would need to
be cut to clear it. Pasha Bulker’s master heard this communication and remarked
that both of these ships were not close to Pasha Bulker.
At 0912, VTIC informed Pasha Bulker’s master that the ship should leave the
restricted area and go to sea. The master thanked VTIC saying that he was
‘proceeding to sea’ and ‘don’t worry’. On its 220º heading, the ship was rolling
heavily, beam-on to the large swell and the wind and it began to approach the coast
at more than 2.5 knots.
From his cabin’s porthole on the ship’s starboard side, the second mate could see
the coast. He had been unable to sleep since earlier that morning because of the
heavy rolling. When the ship got underway, he had, briefly, been on the bridge and
knew the ship was headed to sea. He did not understand why the coast was now on
the ship’s starboard side so he went up to the bridge.
At 0915, the ship’s heading was still south-westerly and it was making good a
westerly course at 3.7 knots towards Nobbys Beach, which was only 1.2 miles
away. The master asked for an increase of engine speed and the chief engineer then
left the bridge and went to the engine room to oversee engine room operations.
As the engine speed was gradually increased to 77 rpm, the ship’s head finally
swung to port with the maximum port rudder being applied. At 0923, the ship’s
heading was approaching 180º when the helmsman reduced the rudder applied to
23º for a few seconds. The swing to port stopped and he immediately put the rudder
hard-over to port again.
By 0925, the ship’s head was turning slowly to starboard despite the maximum port
rudder being applied and the engine speed at 80 rpm. The wind, at times, was now
gusting to more than 55 knots. The master telephoned the chief engineer and asked
for maximum possible engine speed.
At 0927, VTIC called Pasha Bulker’s master to advise that the ship was getting
closer to the coast and asked if any assistance was required. The master declined
assistance, stating that in ‘about 10 minutes’ the situation should improve.
As the engine speed increased, the ship’s heading, which had reached 205º, started
to return slowly to port. At 0931, the ship’s heading was 185º with the main engine
at 91 rpm and Nobbys Beach was eight cables (about 1500 m) away. One of the
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