Forums Forums Local News Mersey Ferry in Near Miss

Not sure were best to post this.

I went to Seacombe for the Flyby today and then took the kids on the ferry to the Pier head. I was waiting on the jetty for the seacombe ferry when I noticed the Woodside - Pier head ferry steering across the path of a chemical tanker. They got very close before the tanker gave a blast of the horn. Ferry Swerved to Port and the tanker swerved to Starboard. I got a couple of photos.

The Ferry came to a virtual stop near the Irish Ferry Terminal while the tanker straightened up near the albert dock and steered back into the centre of the River

A couple of Mersey Ferry staff said somebody is for it!

On the way home I got talking to a chap on the woodside ferry who said they were about 30ft apart and he was looking vertically up at the side of the tanker. He sadi the ferry was making a bee-line for the carrier and obviously didn't know the tanker was there. It could have been very ugly

Those bloody ferries...they think they own the Mersey!!

Investigation launched after Mersey Ferry involved in 'near miss' with tanker


MERSEY Ferries have launched an investigation after the Royal Daffodil was involved in a near-miss with an oil tanker today.

The two vessels came within 60 metres of one another on the River Mersey at 2.50pm and were forced to take evasive action.

The incident happened less than an hour after people had packed onto ferries to watch a naval aviation centenary 'fly-by' of 40 aircraft over HMS Illustrious.

A Mersey Ferries spokesman said that the pilots of both vessels were highly trained and experienced.

They "took appropriate action in accordance with the rules of the sea" by both veering starboard.

No one on either the Daffodil or the tanker, the Romera, was injured in the incident and no damage was caused.

Mersey Ferries will hold an investigation in conjunction with Mersey Docks and the Marine and Coastguard Agency.

THE GLOBE

I heard that!! Literally not 'word of mouth'. We assumed that it was some sort of 'honoury honking' from boats/ ships on the river. (We wernt on the prom, watched the planes from top of my drive(

Worse things happen at sea.

Time to find out if those wooden seats on top deck do actually float

crying laughing! So true, snooze!

7 short toots and hold your bloody nose!!

The Globe has got their story wrong.

I was ON BOARD the Royal Daffodil during the whole incident, standing at the back corner of the vessel closest to the tanker as we veered away.

The Globe says a gap of 60 metres and both captains veered to starboard, here's what happened:

We on the Daffodil having watched the flypast from the Liverpool side of the Mersey continued to first the Seacombe and Birkenhead terminals to continue the passenger run. Upon leaving the Birkenhead terminal our heading was towards Pierhead(L'pool) and we noted a big red tanker coming up the mersey. Incidentally the name of the tanker was Ramira, ironic but no joke. Judging the speed of the tanker and the speed that the ferry was going myself, my dad and alot of the passengers started watching on in amazement as the ferry captain kept heading towards Pierhead, seemingly having no noticed the tanker. Alot of people were saying he was crazy if he was trying to get in front.

Closer and closer the two vessels came in the center of the Mersey until at around gap of 25-30 metres the tanker captain finally blew his horn and took evading action by steering to the starboard while the idiot ferry captain finally turned away to port! At their closest point the gap was around 20 metres and that was when both started turning away from each other.

I tell ya there were alot of older people on the ferry who, like myself, had come to watch the Navy flypast and they were appalled that the incident should ever have happened.

I took a video on my phone as we pulled away from the tanker, but since i am visiting my father I don't have the USB cable, but once I am back to my regular home I can try and upload the video for people to see. I might also have some digital images but my camera's battery was dead before we got really close hence a quick switchover to the phone.

It ended up the second most exciting thing of the day after the flypast which was just awesome!

We'er lucky to have your report! You'll be called to the inquiry, perhaps! No doubt the truth will be on other vids, too.

I was once told that the Mersey Ferry had right of way over other powered river traffic? (With sail having ultimate right of way.)

This is why I love the wiki!

I'm not sure who has the right of way. I had always assumed that the right of way would go to ships that are currently travelling the river, and let's be honest the captain of the ferry has all the time in the world. An oil/chemical tanker doesn't exactly stop on a sixpence.

Here are some pictures, they are clickable thumbnails. The first I snapped and the others I found through a persons Twitter.

This picture is one that I quickly snapped off before the camera battery died. I'm stood along the starboard rail at very back of the promenade deck. Looking out a 90 degree angle from the direction the ferry is travelling you can clearly see we are headed into the path of Ramira.


These two were taken by someone called Claire and she posted these on Flickr. As you can see she was watching from land and was updating her Twitter as soon as she saw the incident. You can really see how close we came in the first one. Thats just when we had started our evasive turn. These two following pictures copyrighted to her.

I don't think any powered vessel underway has priority over any other powered vessel. Quite right, sail has priority over motor vessels. Used to be an old adage "Sail before steam". "Sail before heavy fuel oil" doesn't quite have the same ring to it !

That said, DON'T sail your little dingy under the bows of an incoming super tanker, give the tanker Captain the finger and say "up your's sailor it's MY right of way" !

There are long, laid down rules for vessels approaching each other. Sounds from all reports the master of one vessel was away with the fairies/mermaids !

They should have lights....

Yes, a joke-im not thick