Report: NYK containership that struck Navy vessel was on autopilot

The ACX Crystal, which collided with U.S. Navy destroyer USS Fitzgerald June 17, killing seven sailors, was being controlled by a computerized navigation system at the time of the collision, according to a preliminary investigation.

   The NYK-chartered containership that collided with a U.S. Navy vessel off the coast of Japan on June 17 was on autopilot at the time of the early morning collision, a preliminary investigation has found.
   According to tracking data from the Automatic Identification System, the ACX Crystal was being controlled by a computerized navigation system at the time of the collision, the U.S. Navy 7th Fleet has confirmed. The possibility of the system having malfunctioned is one of the issues currently being investigated.
   Seven American sailors were killed and three others severely injured after the containership collided with the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Fitzgerald in the Philippine Sea, about 12.5 miles off the coast of Japan at 1:30 a.m. local time.
   NYK reports that there were no injuries on board ACX Crystal, or any oil spill from the Philippines-flagged vessel, which is owned by Dainichi-Invest Corp. The nine-year-old containership, which has a gross tonnage of 29,000 tons, is 222 meters long (728 feet) and can carry a crew of 20 with a container capacity of 2,858 twenty-foot equivalent units, was chartered by NYK on its ‘PX1’ (Phoenix 1) intra-Asia trade line linking Japan, Vietnam and Thailand ports at the time of the collision.
   The vessel’s cargo capacity is shared by NYK with other lines, including “K” Line and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL).
   In a statement released hours after the fatal collision, NYK said that it and the shipowner were fully cooperating with the investigation, which is being conducted by the Japan Coast Guard. However, it has not commented thus far on the revelation that the autopilot system on the ship it chartered may have failed.
   Although the ACX Crystal suffered little damage, the U.S. Navy ship — which is nearly four times smaller than the containership — wasn’t as lucky, and suffered severe damage. The Fitzgerald, built in 1993, is an 8,315-ton, 505-foot long (154 meters) warship. Aided by tug boats, it completed a 50-mile journey to its home port in Yokosuka, Japan at 6:15 p.m. local time on June 17, about 16 hours after the impact. It is expected to remain docked for months while undergoing repairs.
   According to the Navy, the collision affected the Fitzgerald’s forward starboard side above and below the water line, causing significant damage and associated flooding to two berthing spaces, a machinery space and the radio room.