Here is a comment, narrative I found on a different video. It more or less echo's what I had said a few days ago. My disclaimer: what I wrote a few days ago was me paraphrasing research, my opinion and facts as we knew them. Here is a comment on another video I watched. Terms for ease of reading:
- Double Jingle - this would be the Lee-helmsman calling the engine room from the bridge asking for a change in power directions. The engine order telegraphs making a jingling sound when they are moved/changed. it would jingle/ring in the engine room, and when the engine room makes the change to power, a it tells the bridge via the engine order telegraph. UGH.... sorry deep breath
- Left rudder response/ over left - I called this HARD OVER in a pervious post, but is the same thing. Just means the steering wheel was turned to Port/Left as far as it would go.
4 days ago
SUNY Maritime graduate, now tug captain. Some FYI and minor corrections. When a ship strikes an object that is not another ship we call it an allision. What you called in front of the bridge is the bridge wing, which sticks out the side. Likely where the pilot was standing. This ship was in pilotage waters, meaning it must take a pilot. A pilot is a specially trained mariner that specializes in taking ships through certain routes. In this case through Chesapeake Bay. He or she got on the ship at the dock and would be picked up by a little boat out by the mouth of the bay or wherever pilotage waters end. They have not released the name yet, I don't know if I know the person yet. At this port another pilot called a docking pilot, actually comes on and docks or undocks the ship, He likely got off when the tugs were "dropped". In the world of ships and boats speed equals better steering. Move water moving past the rudder makes the rudder respond better. Any casualty in the electric generation would cause the ship to lose the main engine. All of the auxiliaries are electric powered. Without a lube oil pump, or water pump the engine shuts downs to prevent damage. You also lose steering immediately. Typically the steering is hydraulic over electric motors. The large puff of black smoke is probably a double jingle for full astern immediately. 99,000 deadweight tons takes considerable time to stop and change direction. The rudder was probably over left and the propeller when going astern will cause the stern to "walk" to the left, this will cause the ship to yaw as it appeared to do. I don't think the pilot had a choice, come ahead hope for left rudder response and hit the bridge or double jingle full astern and hit the bridge.
