The Raduga Europe tug (the flag of Saint Vincent and Grenadines) towing the Trias barge with coal of over 8.300 tons left the seaport of Vyborg (Russia) on November 09, 2019 to move to the seaport of Kantvik (Finland).

At 23:27 Moscow time the tug moving to the south of Gogland Island under the traffic separation schemes grossly violated Rule 10 “Navigation Under Traffic Separation Schemes” of the  International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs-72), crossed the traffic separation zone and reached the oncoming lane. By overstepping the limits of the traffic lane to the oncoming traffic the tug continued to move to Northern Virgin Islands that pose a danger to it.

VTS Saint Petersburg operators timely reacted to the dangerous deviation of the Raduga Europe tug from its traffic lane and started to call it by using all radio communications channels. For 25 minutes the tug has not responded to a VTS duty operator. The movement of the tug and the barge pose a serious danger of collision with other vessels in this area. Both vessels have been warned about the danger. All means have been used to attract attention of the tug.

Thus, the captain of the Raduga Europe tug got in touch with the VTS Saint Petersburg center and was warned about the violation of navigation rules, he then took measures to return the vessel within the limit of the established traffic separation route.

Due to the timely and professional actions taken by VTS Saint Petersburg operators they succeeded in running aground the Raduga Europe tug and the Trias barge near Northern Virgin Islands, as well as their possible collision with other vessels.