At the same time another automated collision warning was addressed to APL SOUTHAMPTON by VHF, repeated at 2328.Īt 2329, the steering was changed to manual and the 3O initially altered course to starboard in an attempt to increase the closest point of approach (CPA) with a group of fishing vessels on the starboard beam. Around this time APL SOUTHAMPTON was proceeding to the port side of her planned passage in way of the 0.5nm cross track safety.īy about 2325, the visibility had dropped to almost zero and the 3O reportedly activated the automatic fog signal. The AB subsequently asked whether he should call the master, who was a Romanian national, but the 3O declined to do so. The target data confirmed that ZHE LING YU was heading east at a speed of 1.4kts, with a bow crossing range of 1.3nm about 15 minutes later.Īt about 2323, an unidentified automated collision warning was directed to APL SOUTHAMPTON by VHF. One of these was ZHE LING YU, which had been acquired on APL SOUTHAMPTON’s automatic radar plotting aid (ARPA) radars. Varying concentrations of fishing vessels were also being encountered, which the 3O used the autopilot to pass at a distance of between 0.2nm to 0.4nm at times.Īt around 2313, the Taizhou vessel traffic system (VTS) broadcasted a Securite message on VHF regarding the heavy fishing traffic in the area as the ship proceeded towards yet another group of such vessels.
As the evening progressed, the ship encountered intermittent fog, reducing the visibility to less than 1nm at times. The 3rd Officer (3O), who was a Malaysian national, was on the Bridge, assisted by a Filipino Able seaman (AB) as lookout. This required an average speed of about 21kts to be maintained as per the passage plan.ĭuring the evening of 15 March, APL SOUTHAMPTON was proceeding on a general North East course at 21kts on autopilot off the coast of Zhejiang province in the East China Sea. The investigation identified that APL SOUTHAMPTON had departed Xiamen pilot station at about 1100 on 15 March with an estimated time of arrival at the Ningbo pilot station at 0830 the following morning, a distance of 460nm. There were no injuries on APL SOUTHAMPTON, which sustained minor damage to her bulbous bow. Tragically, the collision resulted in the capsizing and sinking of ZHE LING YU, with one of her crew killed, a further crew member reported missing and eight of the crew injured. The traffic in the area was also dense, with ZHE LING YU one of a large number of fishing vessels operating in the vicinity at the time. On 15 March 2018, the 9850 TEU container ship APL SOUTHAMPTON was on passage between the ports of Xiamen and Ningbo in China, when she collided with a 46m Chinese fishing vessel, ZHE LING YU 52035 (hereafter referred to as ZHE LING YU) during the hours of darkness and dense fog.
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