"Dwindling confidence" in El Faro Captain ahead of sinking

There were questions on the effectiveness of the El Faro’s Captain in the months leading up to the ship sinking.

TOTE Services' VP of Commercial Marine Operations Philip Morrell told the Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation that he couldn't clearly remember ever getting a completed personnel evaluation of Captain Michael Davidson. One evaluation- which had high remarks, but was neither complete nor signed by the appropriate parties- was made available during Tuesday's session, but was the only one the panel said they could find in his history.

Davidson had all of the needed certifications to be a Master, and at one point, Morrell says he was being considered for promotion to a newer ship. He says that changed after an unspecified incident with a crew member on shore and because Davidson wasn’t showing continued growth.

“Our preference is that somebody’s more- what we call- active, just more around on the ship, on deck,” Morrell says.

GALLERY: El Faro crew

Additionally, Davidson committed to addressing an unspecified repair needed on the El Faro that was not done in a timely way. He got a verbal warning for that.

“It was an oversight, he didn’t get it done, but nonetheless when we say we’re going to do something we need to do it,” Morrell says.

TOTE ultimately said in an email among execs that they had “dwindling confidence in his [Davidson’s] ability as a leader overall”. Morell says, instead of putting Davidson on a newer ship, they planned for him to stay with El Faro, even after it transitioned to Alaskan trade.

When MBOI member Keith Fawcett asked Morrell whether he was aware of “contention” among the crew because of people vying for positions on the new ships, Morrell said he was not.

Davidson ultimately had the final say- according to TOTE- on the El Faro's route. He adjusted the route to try to keep them 65 miles from the eye of Joaquin, but had previously noted the storm's behavior as "erratic".

GALLERY: NTSB finds wreckage of El Faro

Davidson also emailed TOTE execs appearing to ask for permission to re-route the return trip from Puerto Rico to Jacksonville, adding about 160 nautical miles in the process. TOTE maintains he did not need to get permission, although they did send an email acknowledging his several hours later.

WOKV is at the Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation hearing. You can get instant updates on Twitter.