Publication Summary

On December 27, 2002 at about 0600 (all times are approximate Pacific Standard Time), the M/V TAI SHAN HAI approached the Columbia River entrance on a ballast voyage from San Francisco, California to Longview, Washington. A winter storm was in progress. Informed by the Bar Pilot that an inbound transit across the Columbia River Bar would not occur immediately, the Master of the ship attempted to bring the ship about and head for open sea. The ship could not be brought about, and was pushed northeast toward shore by wind and sea. At 0740, the Master of the ship ordered both anchors deployed as the ship crossed the entrance channel. The anchors fetched up (grabbed and held the bottom) just north of the channel, preventing the ship from going aground on the Washington shore and potentially being wrecked in the surf. A variety of factors were found to have contributed to as well as prevent this near-grounding event.