Updated August 16
Steamship Authority officials have provided some answers as to why the freight vessel Sankaty floated away from the Woods Hole Terminal last month.
General Manager Bob Davis said that a rope connecting the freight vessel to the dock slipped off.
In late July, the Sankaty broke loose from a Woods Hole Terminal dock, and floated to a Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution dock. The vessel was not in service, and tied up for the day, so nobody was on board when the Sankaty broke away, and no one was injured.
“We were very fortunate there was no loss of life, no injury, no serious damage to either the vessel or to the dock, or no environmental damage that occurred,” Davis said during a SSA board meeting Tuesday.
Although the U.S. Coast Guard did not investigate the incident, the SSA conducted its own internal investigation.
According to Davis, the Sankaty was tied to the dock with five lines. One of the bow lines slipped off a bollard. “The other one followed it shortly after,” Davis said. “The conditions were windy, kind of choppy evening on that particular day.”
Davis said that they’ve initiated changes in response to the incident. That includes modifications to training procedures, having more marine and shoreside operation staff monitor the vessels, and they’ve added another line to keep the Sankaty tied to the dock, going from five to six lines. The SSA will also initiate more inspections of the lines.
SSA COO Mark Higgins said changing up how the vessel is tied up and procedure modifications should keep the Sankaty secured from now on.
When an individual in the audience asked whether there were cameras to verify whether this was an accident or a deliberate action by someone, Davis said this was a security issue, and would need to be taken up during an executive session.
The Times reached out to SSA spokesperson Sean Driscoll for more details on Wednesday. Driscoll said the investigation is considered finished.
When asked for more information about the rope slip, Driscoll said while the other lines were meant to keep the Sankaty secured even if one of them slipped, “due to the weather conditions, the subsequent lines were unable to hold the vessel in place.”
Driscoll said he could not comment on personnel matters when asked whether there would be potential disciplinary action for the Sankaty incident.
Doesn’t anyone question how when one of five lines ‘slips off a bollard” the other four all fail as well? This doesn’t pass the smell test.
One missing line can lead to another.
None of the SSA deckhands have been taught how to do a proper hitch on a cleat or a bollard so that it won’t “slip off” or jam.
None of them?
How did they pass how did they pass their Coast Guard AB test?
Surely you jest.
Bad rope– bad bad bad—
But the other 4 ropes are actually
good ropes that are just being influenced
by that one bad rope.
We should send that bad rope to Nantucket.
The way I see it as each one fails the more work the rest have to do and it wouldn’t take long for those a to fail. We all know it shouldn’t happen but things can and do happen. It’s the way it is.
That’s why they are called accidents.
This wouldn’t the first time that Woodsholeians have let lines go.
They don’t like the Island disrupting their village.
Sounds shaky. Crew can’t tie lines on a boat and officers don’t boo to check. Incompetence.
Incompetent crew.
Incompetent officers
Incompetent management.
Incompetent Board of Governors.
Incompetent County Commissioners.
Incompetent voters.
It’s all your fault!!!