At 02:50 local time on 18 June 2016, the inbound bulk carrier Yochow contacted the articulated tug and barge OSG Independence/OSG 243 near the Sims Bayou Turning Basin, Houston Ship Channel. During a planned hard‑to‑starboard turn, the helmsman initially moved the wheel the wrong way; the vessel’s stern swung unexpectedly and the ship struck the moored ATB.
1 | Accident snapshot
| Collision time (CDT) | 02 : 50 |
| Manoeuvre | 70 ° starboard turn at Sims Bayou Turning Basin |
| Orders in the final minute | 02 : 47 : 35 “Hard-starboard”Helmsman replied correctly but put the rudder hard-port instead |
| Result | Yochow struck the moored tank barge OSG 243 at ≈ 4.5 kn; facility, barge and ship damage ≈ US $21 m; no injuries, no spill |
The pilot noticed the wrong helm only after about 10 s; by the time the rudder was centred and re-ordered to starboard, the vessel had left the channel and could not complete the turn.
2 | HOM cue relevant to this error
| Bridge cue (advisory) | Trigger* | Crew experience |
|---|---|---|
| WRONG HELM banner + short audible signal | Rudder begins moving opposite to the spoken helm order | Clear, unambiguous prompt: “Helm is the wrong way—correct now.” |
The cue never locks controls or asks for an acknowledgement.
3 | Alternate timeline with HOM active
| Actual time | Real event | HOM cue | Likely bridge response |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02:47:35 | Pilot orders “Hard-starboard” | — | — |
| 02:47:37 | Wheel goes hard-port (error) | WRONG HELM + short sound | Pilot & mate spot mismatch instantly; helm ordered to starboard |
| 02:47:50 | Rudder swinging hard-starboard | Banner clears automatically | Vessel resumes planned turning path, remains in channel |
| 02:50 | (Collision in reality) | — | No collision; barge, facility and ship undamaged |
The cue appears within ≈ 2 s of the wrong-way movement—about eight seconds earlier than it was detected by eye, giving ample time to correct.
4 | Safety margin gained
- Early detection: Wrong‑way rudder flagged while the ship was still >1 ship‑length from the barge berth.
- Course preservation: Correction keeps the turn inside the 500‑ft channel.
- Cost avoidance: Prevents an estimated USD‑scale repair window and fines.
Take-home message
A mis‑executed helm order—not equipment failure—led to contact. HOM’s simple WRONG HELM advisory, with a brief sound, would have surfaced the human‑factor slip within seconds—prompting a quick correction and preserving the ship‑to‑facility clearance.
