Executive summary
At 2200 on 6 February 2009, a coastal pilot boarded the products tanker Atlantic Blue for its intended eastbound transit of the Torres Strait. The ship was nearly fully laden with a cargo of unleaded petrol and was bound for Townsville, Queensland.
The passage progressed normally and at 0130 on 7 February, Atlantic Blue's heading was altered to 066º (T). However, no allowance was made for the 25 knot north-westerly wind abaft the port beam and the east-going tidal stream. Consequently, the ship made good a course of 070º (T) and by 0235, it was 1 mile south of the planned track.
At 0237, 0246 and 0256, the pilot made heading adjustments until the ship's heading was 059º (T). These small adjustments did not bring Atlantic Blue back on track as it progressed towards Kirkcaldie Reef. After 0307, as the ship closed on a shoal about 1 mile ahead, the pilot began altering the heading further to port. This course alteration was too little, too late and at 0312, Atlantic Blue's bow grounded on a sandy shoal. The hull remained intact and there was no pollution. At 0700, the ship refloated on the flooding tide and was manoeuvred clear of the reef.
The investigation found that the ship grounded because its progress and position were not effectively monitored by the bridge team and inadequate action was taken to bring it back on track. Bridge resources were not managed effectively, off-track limits were not defined and the bridge team did not have a shared mental model of the passage. The report identifies safety issues in relation to the ship's passage planning procedures; the coastal pilotage check pilot regime and the coastal vessel traffic service's monitoring system. Safety actions to address all the issues have been taken or proposed by the relevant parties.