The watch commander on “Helge Ingstad” is the only person charged after the collision between the frigate and the tanker “Sola TS” in November 2018. The trial following the accident has been going on for three weeks. The prosecutor believes that the accident was due to the duty manager’s actions. But others could also have done a lot differently, believes the defender of the guard. Among other things, this applies to the pilot on the tanker “Sola TS”. He acted as a “celebrity” on board the tanker, and was supposed to unload it safely out of the fjord. The pilot has received criticism for several conditions on board, mainly: position in the fjord poor communication and use of radar on the bridge light on deck blinded the frigate Never before has the public heard the pilot’s version of the night of the accident. He wondered how the crew of the frigate could mistake the tanker for land. – If you have never been on the lake before, it can certainly be a problem. But not apart from that, answered the pilot. Long experience Losen appeared in court in a freshly ironed Coastal Administration uniform. He is an experienced sailor, who has previously been captain and mate. Since 2007, he has worked as a pilot. Since around 2010, he has helped tankers out of Stureterminalen outside Bergen. “Sola TS” was a boat he had been on before, he explained in court. On the night of the accident in question, the weather was clear. From the bridge he could see three ships sailing north in the Hjeltefjorden. “Panoramic view,” he explained. READY FOR DEPARTURE: Illustration of “Sola TS” at Stureterminalen. Photo: Norwegian Accident Investigation Board / Illustration Just after they had left the quay, at 03.53, he saw the green lantern of “Helge Ingstad” in the fjord in front of him. The ship came at high speed. The pilot explained that it is completely normal to have a lot of traffic in this fjord. But it is also normal for oncoming ships to make a way out maneuver and drive to starboard, he explained. But the evasion maneuver never came. Before this, “Sola TS” had already given two messages on the radio that all ships in the area are obliged to listen to. First that they were getting ready for departure, then that they were leaving the dock. – Everyone who walks in the area has a duty to listen. When I report on the radio, I don’t just report to Fedje, but to everyone, he said. He says that he expected “Helge Ingstad” to use the radio. He also says he expected the frigate to use radar. – That is normal. I should believe so. Everyone uses it, mostly. COLLISION: At 04.01.15 “Sola TS” and “Helge Ingstad” collided. The pilot on “Sola TS” explained in court that he did not experience anything violent in the collision, but saw the flashes of light in the bow. Photo: Sola TS/National Accident Investigation Board – Somewhat crazy At 03.58 he contacted the traffic center Fedje VTS to understand who was coming. At first they could not answer who came against them. Audio recordings played in court showed that the drama escalated in the last two minutes before the collision. Losen believes there was nothing they could have done differently to avoid the situation. – There is something quite crazy here. They haven’t used radar, they haven’t used radio, said the pilot. In court, he was asked direct questions about what he thinks was the cause of the accident. – I think that there must be someone here who has too little experience. It is absolutely incredible that it happened, he said. Believes the deck light was not a problem On the way north in the Hjeltefjord, parts of the tanker crew worked on deck. The ship had to be prepared for sailing at sea. On deck, the lights were on so that the crew on deck could see what they were doing. The watchman on “Helge Ingstad” believes that the deck light drowned out the light from the tanker’s lanterns. This meant that the watch commander did not realize that the ship was just a ship. – Can the deck lighting make it difficult for others to understand that “Sola TS” is a vessel, asked the prosecutor. – No. If you have never been at sea before, it can be a problem. But apart from that, I don’t think so, replied the pilot. He also hit back against one of the findings in the Accident Investigation Board’s report. It states that there was little relative movement on the deck lights. – It is not a matter of a small relative movement when we have turned a 250 meter long ship in the fjord, he said. The frigate KNM “Helge Ingstad” collided with a tanker in Øygarden Strikes back against the Norwegian Navy Previously, both the ship’s commander and the watch commander on “Helge Ingstad” said that it was unnatural for the tanker to sail up the fjord on the port side of the fjord. But in court, instructions for tankers from the Sture terminal were shown. They show that tankers should sail on the port side because it is the shortest way out. This way they can get out into the sea in the west without crossing the Hjeltefjorden twice, and to go on a collision course with land. Prosecutor Magne Kvamme Sylta asked the pilot what he thought about the accusations that they were sailing on the wrong side. – It indicates that those who say it have no idea about it. I believe that what they say is wrong. We are straight when we are on the port side. The boats have been going like this since Stureterminalen opened, said the pilot. He told the court that as a pilot he has experienced several situations with naval vessels. Among other things, it has happened several times that warships have crossed in front of the boat he is on, at a short distance. – Then it will be exciting, he said in court. – I don’t quite know if they have understood that we can’t turn like smaller boats can.
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The pilot on “Sola TS” hits back at the commander of the watch on the frigate – news Vestland
