Accident Reports

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”

On 9 August 2024, a major explosion occurred aboard the container vessel YM Mobility at the Beilun Second Container Terminal in Ningbo-Zhoushan, China. The explosion originated from a container near the bow, loaded with dangerous goods. Although declared by the shipper as a reefer container used as a substitute for a dry container, it was not connected to a power supply. The incident resulted in an estimated economic loss of approximately CNY 90 million (US$13 million). Continue reading “China MSA releases report into explosion onboard the YM Mobility”

The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Maritime Administration has released an investigation report into two enclosed spaces deaths on board drill ship Valaris DS-17.

What happened

On 21 April 2023, the Republic of the Marshall Islands-registered drill ship Valaris DS-17, managed by ENSCO International Inc., was alongside in a shipyard at Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Kingdom of Spain. The ship was scheduled to depart Las Palmas on 1 May 2023. Work that needed to be completed prior to the ship’s departure included cleaning the BWT. Continue reading “RMI maritime authority investigation into enclosed spaces deaths”

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) draws lessons learned from the investigation of a fire on an offshore platform in the Gulf of Mexico involving a rental generator and air shutoff valves.

The incident stemmed from a malfunction in the engine’s air shutoff valves system. Initial investigation findings indicated that the oil fill cap was absent, and both exhaust gases and oil venting from the open fill neck were potential ignition sources. Continue reading “Enhance inspection protocols for air shutoff valves”