More on the Navy Collisions
 

On Mon, 28 Aug 2017 13:08:09 -0400,
wrote:

The New York Times has run a couple of excellent articles recently:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/25/world/asia/navy-collision-uss-mccain-oil-tanker.html?action=click&contentCollection=Asia%20 Pacific&module=RelatedCoverage&region=EndOfArticle &pgtype=article

Talks about the reduced radar signature of modern destroyers and their
normal mode of not broadcasting position and course data vis AIS
transponders. This makes them more difficult for other vessels to
spot, and also for vessel control centers who try to keep things
sorted out in high traffic areas.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/27/world/asia/fatigue-and-training-gaps-spell-disaster-at-sea-sailors-warn.html

Discusses the fatigue and training issues which very likely are a
contributing factor. This rings very true to me based on our own
experiences with my wife and I standing watches around the clock on
multi day passages. Perception and judgement are very definitely
affected by inadequate rest.

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Maybe the answer is just adding more dedicated watch standers on these
ships that ply the busiest routes on a routine basis and making sure
that these people are rested and ready to stand their watch.
They should get additional collision avoidance training.
It is certainly cheaper than fixing big holes in our ships.
I will admit that the ships I was on were generally operating well
clear of the shipping lanes and a CPA of 5 miles was very unusual as
soon as we lost sight of Norfolk. In our ocean stations we were
usually closer to airplanes than ships, straight up.