Safety Issue
While the lighting on board the barge Seatow 61
complied with the requirements of the International Regulations for
the Prevention of Collisions at Sea, 1972, as amended (COLREGS), it
was not sufficient to alert Norma Jean's skipper to the
barge's presence early enough to prevent the collision.
Furthermore, the lighting did not reflect all of the reasonable
precautions that could have been taken to prevent a collision with
the unmanned barge.
Safety Advisory Notice
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau advises that the owners
and operators of vessels that are, or possibly can be, unmanned
should consider the safety implications of this safety issue and
take action where considered appropriate.