Opinion ID: 661735
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: 9 USNS BELLATRIX is a 946 foot long steamship owned by the United States Navy. She is fitted with two 60,000 horsepower steam engines each driving a separate propeller. IMC contracted with the Navy's Military Sealift Command to operate and maintain the vessel. As a part of IMC's services to the Navy, IMC took bids and awarded contracts for the routine dry docking and regular topside repairs and maintenance of the BELLATRIX in the Fall of 1989. 10 Avondale was awarded the contract. Avondale provided tugs, pilots and line handlers to BELLATRIX, towing her dead ship from her berth in Violet, Louisiana to the Avondale shipyard on the Mississippi River. This initial movement and a subsequent return to Violet were part of the original contract. Later, it was determined that BELLATRIX's topside repairs were to be performed by a shipyard located in Jacksonville, Florida. 11 On November 18, 1993, Avondale had completed its repair work on the vessel. The BELLATRIX was towed, dead ship, out of dry dock by two tugs, AVON II, owned by Avondale and MISS SARAH, hired by Avondale from E.N. Bisso and Son. A third tug, PEGGY H., also hired by Avondale from Bisso, stood by unattached. The dry dock was parallel to shore and BELLATRIX's bow was pointing upriver. After the repairs were completed, the tugs towed the BELLATRIX, dead ship to the opposite side of the Mississippi River and held her there with her bow pointed upstream while she took on water ballast and made steam. Ballasting was necessary to lower the vessel in the water to allow her to pass under overhead electric cables and the Huey Long Bridge. 12 BELLATRIX was manned by IMC employees, including Captain Rivera and his crew. A compulsory pilot, Pilot Thomas, was also on board during the ballasting and turning of BELLATRIX, as required by law. Avondale, as part of the contract, hired and paid Pilot Thomas. Captain Rivera discussed the vessel's handling characteristics with the pilot when he came on board before BELLATRIX left the dry dock. Both Captain Rivera and Pilot Thomas stayed on the bridge throughout the subsequent maneuvers. Pilot Thomas gave all the orders and Captain Rivera, although nearby, had turned his attention to the repair of a faulty instrument. 13 The engines were placed on standby at 0754 hours. Ballasting was completed at about 0810 hours. At approximately 0816 hours, before the down river turn was started, the chief engineer reported to third mate Barton, who immediately notified Captain Rivera and Pilot Thomas, that the starboard engine was unavailable for use. Pilot Thomas determined that BELLATRIX could be turned with the port engine and the assisting tugs, without the starboard engine and proceeded, knowing it was unavailable. The port engine was kept dead slow astern, which had the effect of slowly turning the BELLATRIX to the left until she was perpendicular in the river with her bow pointed at the Avondale facility. 14 At this time, Pilot Thomas released MISS SARAH from the bow. Unbeknownst to Captain Rivera and the crew on the bridge, Pilot Thomas previously allowed the tug AVON II to cast off from the stern because she was having a problem with her lines to the BELLATRIX. Because of the configuration of BELLATRIX's bridge, the stern was not visible from the bridge, so Captain Rivera could not have seen the release of the AVON II. In compliance with Pilot Thomas' direction, one of BELLATRIX's crew members had released AVON II's lines. He reported his action to the bridge, but did not get confirmation that the message was received, as he was required to do. The message was not received by the bridge and Pilot Thomas did not tell Captain Rivera about releasing AVON II. 15 At 0828, while the vessel was still perpendicular in the river, Pilot Thomas ordered dead slow ahead on the port engine, which was followed by a slow ahead at 0829 hours and full ahead at 0831 hours. The rudder at this time was at hard left. 16 It soon became clear that the ship could not make the turn. Pilot Thomas tried to call the MISS SARAH back to the vessel to assist, but the tug could not make it back. The port engine remained on full ahead until 0834 hours, when Pilot Thomas ordered full astern on the port engine and drop anchor. At 0836 hours, the BELLATRIX made contact with Avondale's dry dock.