摘要: |
On December 14, 1996, the fully loaded Liberian bulk carrier Bright Field temporarily lost propulsion power as the vessel was navigating outbound in the Lower Mississippi River at New Orleans, Louisiana. The vessel struck a wharf adjacent to a populated commercial area that included a shopping mall, a condominium parking garage, and a hotel. The safety issues discussed in this report are the adequacy of the ship's main engine and automation systems, the adequacy of emergency preparedness and evacuation plans of vessels moored in the Poydras Street wharf area, and the adequacy of port risk assessment for activities within the Port of New Orleans. This report also addresses three other issues; the actions of the pilot and crew during the emergency, the lack of effective communication (as it relates to the actions of the pilot and crew aboard the Bright Field on the day of the accident), and the delay in administering toxicological tests to the vessel crew. |