Background Coast Guard Publications

Background U.S. Coast Guard Publications

Bright Field Investigation

We are listing U.S. Coast Guard and related publications that provide background information relating to conditions in the harbor prior to the crash and to similar previous investigations. Many of the issues raised after the Bright Field crash have been thoroughly studied in the past (safety in the harbor, VTS (Coast Guard vessel traffic services), riverboat gambling boats). This earlier data should be examined and updated to study current conditions. We are promoting the concept that new data collection efforts make the extra effort to make sure their data is compatible with the prior investigations, in many cases much more can be learned. The potential is "More bang for the buck." Data trends can be analyzed, faulty data may be pointed out, and trends can be developed and studied.

Where to get these publications: Some are still in print and available from NTIS (National Technical Information Service), the Congressional Hearings are available from the GPO (Government Printing Office) and the CIS Congressional Information Service. All the publications should be available through your local Federal Depository Library. You can find the Federal Depository libraries near you with the Federal Depository Library Locator. Many may be available in Coast Guard Libraries. If you give up, try your congressman

PUBLICATIONS

Port Studies

Port Needs Study (Vessel Traffic Services Benefits) This is a huge multi-volume study with thousands of pages of information. It looks both overall at the 26 zones (harbors) under study and then specifically at each one.
Volume 1 'Study Report" documents the benefits and costs of potential USCG Vessel Traffic Services.
Volume 2 Part 1 and Volume 2 Part 2 are Appendices and present the data for each of the 26 ports
Volume 3 is a compendium of technical papers on data sources and analytical methods to supplement volume 2.
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Final Report August 1991. 
US Dept of Transportation, US Coast Guard, 
Office of Navigation Safety and Waterway Services

Volume 1. Study Report
DOT-CG-N-01-91-1.2
DOT-VNTSC-CG-91-2.1

Volume 2. Part 1
DOT-CG-N-01-91-1.3, Pt 1
DOT-VNTSC-CG-91-2.11, Pt.1
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The Port of New Orleans is covered in Part 1 of Volume 2. About 100 pages of information are provided. We will be providing some of the general and summary information as time permits. This is a massive study and should certainly be utilized by any current investigation into potential changes in methods of operation of the port. The Port of New Orleans is studied as Zone 6 (6th port analyzed) and the Bright Field crash occurs in subzone 5 of the port.

CRASH INVESTIGATIONS

Developing Tanker Casualty and Tanker Traffic Databases for 1969-1977
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Report  # CG-M-30-5 (16732)
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Study of Task Performance Problems in Reports of Collisions, Rammings and Groundings in Harbors and Entrances
The study focuses on clarifying the specific nature of human performance problems leading to accidents and on clarifying the circumstances that contribute to human performance problems since the large majority of collisions, rammings, and groundings have been attributed in previous research to human error.
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Final Report March 1979
Report # CG-D-28-79
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SS Keytrader and SS Baune (Norwegian) Collision in Mississippi River on 18 January 1974 With Loss of Life
An example of a joint Coast Guard / NTSB Mississippi River crash report
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Report # USCG/NTSB-Mar-77-1
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SS African Neptune : Collision with the Sidney Lanier Bridge at Brunswick Georgia on 7 November 1972 with Loss of Life
This is a very heavily studied and reported crash. The pilot was not aware of how poorly the vessel steered and when turning into another channel he was not able to recover before hitting a bridge downstream of the turn.
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Report # USCG/NTSB - Mar-74-4
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M/V Summit Venture (Liberian) ; Collision with Sunshine Skyway Bridge, Tampa Bay Florida on 9 May 1980 with Multiple Loss of Life
A large vessel crashed into a bridge poor visibility conditions.
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Report # USCG 16732/06069
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Be sure to view the "similar Canadian Investigation" listed in the Websites below. It is a similar bulk cargo carrier(Frontenac) lost engine power and hitting the wall in the St. Lawrence Seaway on 29 October 1993. The crash bears striking similarities to the Bright Field crash.

RIVERBOAT GAMBLING BOAT SAFETY

Lower Mississippi Navigational Safety of Gambling Vessels
Committee Serial No. 103-79A
November 12, 1993 Congressional Hearing in Baton Rouge Louisiana before the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Navigation to review navigational safety concerns of the expected increase in large gaming vessels operating in the lower Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.
Navigational Safety of the Lower Mississippi
Committee Serial No. 103-95
May 2, 1994 Congressional Hearing in New Orleans before the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Navigation to review lower Mississippi River navigational safety issues, including Coast Guard initiatives and planned operations of large gambling vessels.
Abstracts of these two hearings plus order numbers for GPO and CIS of full text versions appear in the 1994 CIS (Congressional Information Service) Index. We scanned these two abstracts which also list some of the witnesses and discussions. The scanned abstracts area available by clicking on the hearing titles above.

GENERAL

Commercial Vessel Safety Economic Benefits
- Appendix A - Estimation Procedures for Cost and Cost Impact of Marine Safety Regulations
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December 1979 Final Report
Report # CG-D-1-81
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- Appendix A - Estimation Procedures for the Benefits of Marine Safety Regulations
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Feb 1980 final Report
Report # CG-D-2-81
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A Simulator Study of Deepwater Port Shiphandling and Navigation Problems in Poor Visibility
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Final Report January 1981
Report # CG-D-66-80
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Rules of the Road, Training Investigation
This report determines if training causes a difference in "watch officer" behavior in vessel crossing and meeting situations.
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Final Report November 1978
Report # CG-D-25-79
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Deepwater Port Navigation Hazards and Risk Assessment
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Final Report February 1979
Report # CG-D-6-79
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Deepwater Ports Approach/Exit Control Capability Assessment Technology/Service Alternatives
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Final Report February 1979
Report #CG-D-7-79
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Pilotage in the Port of New York
This is an in depth report of what the piloting situation is like in the Port of New York. They made 16 transits and also video taped 6 areas of the harbor.
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Final Report July 1978
Report #CG-D-81-78
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Study of the Performance of Aids to Navigation Systems - Phase 1
A Control Theory Approach
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Report #CG-D-37-78
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Study of the Performance of Aids to Navigation Systems - Phase 1
Closed Loop Model of the Process of Navigation
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Final Report March 1978
Report #CG-D-38-78
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Navigational Safety of the Lower Mississippi
Committee Serial No. 103-95
May 2, 1994 Congressional Hearing in New Orleans before the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Navigation to review lower Mississippi River navigational safety issues, including Coast Guard initiatives and planned operations of large gambling vessels.
"Vessel Navigation and Traffic Services for Safe and Efficient Ports and Waterways : Interim Report (1996)" Committee on Maritime Advanced Information Systems. National Research Council.

RELATED WEBSITES

Be sure to check the websites listed on the Links Page in the "Ship Accident Investigation Groups & Investigation Reports" section.