A recent Marine Link report, “Norway Naval Officer Goes on Trial Over Oil Tanker Collision,” included the video above. Thought you might find it interesting.

Sure, there was a lot of sophisticated equipment that they apparently couldn’t get to work but it also looks like a lot of basics missing as well.

Was a collision alarm ever sounded?

The crew of 137 was extremely small for such a sophisticated ship. Did this mean there was no messenger and/or lookout assigned the bridge watch that might have been used to reestablish communications? It almost certainly means there was minimal redundancy in the skills of the crew.

Did the ship have sound powered phones for emergency communications?

There was a failure to close watertight fittings as spaces were evacuated.

The whole thing looks like a cautionary tale. Don’t put too much faith in high tech. Certainly use it, but don’t forget the basics of good damage control.