Through this vts system. they should be able to tell where he was at all times. if he was outside the intended track, i assume and believe the vts would recommend to him to get back into the traffic separation scheme. i find it hard to believe he probably deviated too far from the traffic scheme and went into shallower water close to the rocky area. from lacking at the charts and seeing the traffic scheme and being there myself, there s plenty of good water. he should not have hit anything. we have to see if there s any obstructions in the hull or any problems. admiral allen, this question is for you. we re just getting information, learning today the ferry was just retro-fitted with new equipment that raised its weight by hundreds of tons, also was load with cars. why is that important to know in a disaster like this? it wasn t at capacity passenger-wise but with all this other stuff, why is that important to know? well, the construction of the ship is based on its use.