Page 40: of Marine News Magazine (May 2016)

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INLAND MARINE OPERATIONS

A Tragic Day & Sub M

Industry veteran and stakeholder Pat Folan takes a different look at the recent Specialist casualty from the eyes of both an experienced mariner and safety consultant.

By Pat Folan xperience on tugs led to what I do now and there is say NO. So what if it’s windy and the current is strong were no experiences more rewarding than being a and with us? We got this. We’ve done it before. And that

NY tug man. The creeks, the Kills, the North and brings us back to risk assessment.

E

East River, the Bronx, Upper Bay and Newark Bay are all Undoubtedly, the captain and mate performed some sort demanding and alive and that’s what makes the loss of the of risk assessment. It may not have been documented, but

Specialist so much harder. We are a family. We have each between them it existed and was modi? ed under chang- other’s backs. We share, laugh and sometimes yell. ing conditions. Forecasts and tides were checked and re-

All of that said; I have been asked how Sub M would checked. Watch change conversations included both traf- have prevented the accident. The simple answer? Risk as- ? c and the way that the barge handled. The “Go/No Go” sessment and management. But nothing is simple. Taking line was danced around. And Go was decided on. Investors off my safety hat and putting on my well-worn Master of know that past performance is not indicative of future re-

Towing Vessels hat, I also asked myself: how would I look sults, but sometimes we mariners do not remember this.

at it? Here’s how … I’ve been there. I have taken the job that I shouldn’t have taken. And it worked out. It took everything in me to do

A Normal Day on the River it – willing the boat to make a move it probably shouldn’t

A big barge and three boats – that seems like a luxury. make, leaning into it, straining leg and arm muscles at the

Normally, you would be lucky to have an assist boat. For wheel in a desperate hope that adding my body to the mix too long we have been asked to do too much with too little in the wheelhouse can somehow in? uence the wheels and and we have done it – and done it well. The good guys rudders. And it worked.

make it look easy. The hardest thing for a tug captain to do Now the bar has been raised. I have left my comfort (*) All images courtesy Pat Folan

May 2016

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