You know you’re getting old when words you once knew seem new. I know I had heard the word allision before but couldn’t quite place it. According to Maritime Law, allision is the running of one vessel against another. It is distinguished from collision in that collision means the running of two vessels against each other. This latter term, collision, is frequently used for allision although grammatically in error.
The following article from the Coast Guard News contained one of those words.
KEY WEST, Fla. — The Coast Guard responded to an allision between two Carnival Cruise Line ships in the Port of Key West.
While the minor crash caused some cosmetic damage to both vessels, no one was injured and there was no pollution or structural damage reported.
The Carnival Imagination was docked at the port and the Carnival Fantasy was docking when the vessels struck stern to stern, the Coast Guard said.
No injuries, pollution or structural damage occurred during the incident.
Alcohol and drug testings have been conducted on personnel in safety-sensitive positions in accordance with Coast Guard policy.
The Coast Guard is investigating the incident.
The above photo shows the extent of the “cosmetic’ damage to one of the Carnival Line Ships.
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