In August 2023, a steering problem on the multi-purpose carrier BBC Africa caused it to crash into a bulk carrier in the Houston Ship Channel, leading to over $1 million in damage. The BBC Africa lost steering while leaving the channel on August 25 and struck the moored bulk carrier Common Faith. Fortunately, there were no injuries or pollution reported from the incident.
The crew checked the steering system before departure and found no issues. Initially, the steering worked fine from the port bridge wing. But trouble started when control was switched to the center helm on the bridge. When the pilot used the control button at the center station, the ship’s rudder suddenly swung hard to the left, against orders and the helmsman’s efforts. The chief officer tried several times to fix the problem by pressing the control button again but couldn’t regain control.
After about a minute, the ship’s captain managed to take over using an emergency override, but by then it was too late to avoid the collision. Investigators said the crew’s slow reaction to switch to emergency steering made the crash more likely.
Experts from the ship’s manufacturer and investigators later examined the steering controls and found that a small part called the bridge wing tiller micro switch had probably failed. This faulty switch caused the rudder to behave unexpectedly and made normal steering impossible.
The National Transportation Safety Board pointed out that failures like this can be very dangerous, especially in tight channels where quick action is needed to avoid accidents. They stressed that crews must respond immediately when steering systems fail to keep ships safe.
This incident highlights how critical it is for crews to react fast and effectively when unexpected problems happen with a ship’s steering. The full report on the accident is available online through the National Transportation Safety Board.