2014 Volume 131 Pages 33-39
The accident between Atago and Seitokumaru has been reproduced using a ship handling simulator and 13 captains of patrol crafts of Japan Coast Guard have observed the target vessel Atago from the view point of Seitokumaru and they have answered a questionnaire on the target vessel in length, the crossing angle between Atago's course and Seitokumaru's course and on a method of a collision avoidance with Atago. Where, the overall length of Atago is 165 meters and the horizontal distance between her two masthead lights is about 10 meters. In order to investigate effects of the arrangement of the masthead lights, the target vessel is replaced by an ordinary cargo vessel which is almost same size of Atago and the same simulation has been conducted. In case of Atago, 10 captains have estimated her length to be at least 50m shorter than the real value and 10 captains have estimated the crossing angle to be at least 35 degrees larger than the real value and 8 captains have selected to pass Atago's bow.
In case of the cargo vessel, 3 captains have estimated her length to be at least 50m shorter than the real value and 2 captains have estimated the crossing angle to be at least 35 degrees larger than the real value and 11 captains have selected to pass the stern of the cargo vessel.
