Accident Reports

One of the most eye-catching and devastating incidents of recent times – and totally avoidable – involved the grounding and subsequent breakup of the MV Wakashio. The tragic event caused immense environmental damage in and around the Mauritius area. Five years on, and the Court of Investigation has now issued its report into the grounding of M/V Wakashio which ran aground off Mauritius on 25 July 2020, spilling about 1,000 tons of fuel oil. Continue reading “M/V Wakashio Court Investigation: The ship could have been towed away during the first week”

The Irish Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) has called on the Minister for Transport to consider reviewing and updating the regulations on the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) installations and systems on merchant vessels, fishing vessels, pleasure craft and other marine craft. The call for action comes in the wake of a series of recommendations published in the MCIB’s report into the death of Detective Garda Deirdre Finn in a fire on board the DollFinn motor cruiser at Carrick-on-Shannon in early August 2023. Continue reading “LPG gas likely caused DollFinn motor cruiser fire on the River Shannon”

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch has released its findings and issued 12 recommendations in a report into a auxiliary engine room fire on the Finnmaster Ro-Ro cargo ship as it departed a UK port in 2021.

What happened

At 2013 on 19 September 2021, a fire broke out in the auxiliary engine room on the Finland registered roll-on/roll-off cargo ship Finnmaster during departure from Hull, England. Finnmaster lost power, but the fire was later extinguished and the vessel safely re-berthed with the assistance of tugs. The auxiliary engine room was significantly damaged but there were no injuries. Continue reading “UK MAIB report into engine room fire on Finnmaster published”

Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) released its investigation report into the 2024 grounding of the general cargo vessel Heemskerkgracht in the South Shore Canal of the St. Lawrence Seaway off Kahnawake, Quebec.

What happened

On August 22, 2024, the general cargo vessel Heemskerkgracht ran aground after the main engine shut down due to the activation of a false alarm on the oil mist detector (OMD). The vessel was anchored while awaiting assistance and was later refloated and towed to the Port of Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Quebec. There were no injuries or pollution reported. The vessel sustained minor damage to its hull. Continue reading “TSB Canada report shows detector false alarm contributed to Heemskerkgracht grounding”

The Republic of the Marshall Islands Maritime Administrator has concluded an investigation after a sailor fell and died on board bulk carrier Asteris.

What happened

On 17 April 2024, the Republic of the Marshall Islands-registered Asteris, a geared, five-hatch, bulk carrier, managed by Seamax Marine Inc., was underway in the South China Sea on a ballast voyage. Work being done on board during the day included washing the cargo holds. The hatch covers for all five cargo holds had been partially open since that morning to ventilate the cargo holds.

At approximately 1700, the ASD2 and OS2 were tasked with starting to wash Cargo Hold No. 4 before stopping work for the day at 1800. It was planned for the ASD2, who was wearing a safety belt with a single lifeline, to work inside the cargo hold while the OS2 remained on deck next to the booby hatch to tend the hose and control the flow of water by opening and closing the fire hydrant to which the hose was connected. Continue reading “RMI Maritime Administrator report reveals reason for fatal fall on bulk carrier Asteris”