Two Collision-Free Years on a VLCC: What the Garden Saw

A 318,000 dwt VLCC on the AG-China crude trade posted 24 consecutive months without a close-quarters incident, ECDIS drift alarm, or near-miss filing. The Master and Chief Officer credit bridge-watch circadian telemetry. This post walks through what the garden actually saw across those two years.

The Master had been at sea thirty-one years when the bosun brought him the question. The crew bar had a running joke that the ship's two-year wall calendar had more crossed-out days than the Chief Mate's night-order book had amendments. Two years since the last close-quarters situation. Two years since the last ECDIS drift alarm acknowledged in the anchor. Two years since the last near-miss filed with the DPA ashore. The question from the bosun was simple. Was it luck, was it crew, or was it the garden?