Once the 190m-long bulk carrier was moored alongside, the three crewmen were sent to rig its starboard accommodation ladder. The accommodation ladder was in its stowed position and needed to be unstowed, lowered to the quayside and rigged ready for use.
The top of the accommodation ladder was hinged onto a turntable, which in turn was mounted on a platform attached to the ship’s deck. The access platform at the bottom of the ladder was fitted with a set of collapsible handrails on either side.
At approximately 0500 on 16 August 2016, a fire started in the crew mess room of the fishing vessel Ardent II while alongside in Peterhead. The three crew sleeping on board escaped without injury but the vessel was extensively damaged and later declared a constructive total loss.
The MAIB investigation identified that:
– An electrical fault or failure of a multi-socket adapter in the crew mess was the most likely cause of the fire
– There was no smoke detector fitted in the crew mess room and it was fortunate one of the crew awoke and discovered the fire
Continue reading “MAIB report published about the fire on board fishing vessel Ardent II”
The Bahamas Maritime Authority issued a safety alert to inform about the sudden disengagement of a lifeboat during a ship inspection onboard a tanker. The safety alert includes a description of the incident and lessons learnt to try and prevent similar accidents from occurring in the future.
The incident
Whilst alongside the loading port, a Aframax tanker conducted a Port State Control (PSC) inspection during which the testing of the lifeboat engine and rudder was required. While swinging out the starboard lifeboat, the lifeboat disengaged from the aft fall hook without any warning. The lifeboat hook did not open, instead the master link pulled clear through the gate on the on-load release gear resulting in the lifeboat falling heavily. The aft end of the boat hit the fish plate on the main deck and slid over the side resulting in the boat hanging from the forward hook. No personnel were in the lifeboat and no injuries were sustained.
Transport Malta has issued an investigation report about an engine explosion on-board a passenger vessel, which caused severe burn injuries to two people back in May 2016. The report sets out to determine the circumstances of the accident as a basis for making recommendations in order to prevent further and similar incidents from occurring in the future.
The incident
Two motor mechanics from the Company’s workshop were sent on board MV Delfini to investigate an engine problem reported by the vessel’s skipper and engine driver. Work was necessary on the port main engine to identify and eliminate the exhaust white smoke, which was being emitted by the engine under load conditions.
The Bahamas Maritime Authority has issued a technical alert to bring to operators’ and inspectors’ attention that deficiencies have been found in lifejacket lights manufactured by Alcares in particular types Jack A1-Alk and Jack ARH-Alk, distributed by Datrex. A number of ships have reported issues relating to these defective lifejacket lights.
The notice highlights the following:
– Examination of the lights revealed that the batteries had leaked, resulting in contamination on the main board and resulting in the lights being considered unfit for further use.
Continue reading “Bahamas Maritime Authority issues a warnings about Alcares lifejacket light battery failure”
The Registry has issued an advisory note to alert the wider shipping community to the fact it is currently conducting a serious marine casualty investigation into the fatality of two seafarers, which occurred recently onboard a Marshall Islands Registry flagged vessel. Marshall Islands Registry has published its preliminary findings into the incident, which is still ongoing, so that it might help to identify potential risks and preventing similar incidents from taking place.
The vessel involved was a bulk carrier laden with coal. Marshall Islands Registry regrets that two seafarers died and two others were severely burned following the explosion and fire, which took place in the Bosun’s Store Room.
Between 7 and 9 June 2016, the two occupants of the motor cruiser Love for Lydia died from carbon monoxide poisoning. The boat was moored alongside Wroxham Island, River Bure, Norfolk, and their bodies were found during the afternoon of 9 June in the boat’s forepeak cabin.
The MAIB investigation identified that:
• The source of the carbon monoxide was exhaust fumes from the boat’s eight-cylinder petrol engine, which contained high levels of the gas even when the engine was ‘idling’.
Continue reading “MAIB published its report on the Love for Lydia carbon monoxide deaths tragedy”
The Marine Safety Forum has issued a report about two separate reported incidents within the last month. Limit switches not operating as intended on two chartered vessels has caused damage and opened up the potential for serious injury.
The incidents
The first incident with limit switches occurred in early March to an Emergency Response and Rescue Vessel (ERRV). The vessel had been carrying out a period of close standby cover so had its port FRC lowered to the embarkation position ready for immediate deployment. Once the work parties had finished for the day, the vessel departed the 500m zone and commenced hoisting the FRC ready for sea-fastening. This davit operation was carried out by a trainee under the supervision of the Boatswain.
Of all those who board ships and need enclosed space entry, the surveyors are most at risk. In many cases the spaces they are about to enter are an unknown entity, therefore they are totally dependent on the ship’s management team having these spaces properly prepared with a trained rescue party adequately equipped and standing by.
It is now a matter of record that ships have more incidents, accidents and fatalities involving enclosed spaces than any other component of the marine sector. These accidents and subsequent fatalities are predominantly the result of people entering, working in, or ironically attempting rescue from those spaces.
Due to a mishap from improper testing of a vapor pressure relief valve on a compressed air system, the Coast Guard Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance (CG-CVC) reminds all those concern of the risks and best practices in conducting or witnessing the testing of relief valves. While this information is based on testing compressed air systems using vapor relief valves, the guidance is also relevant to safety valves in other pressure systems, except boilers.
The Hong Kong Marine Department has issued an information note about a fatal accident that happened on a Hong Kong registered general cargo ship caused by semi-coke cargo. Two stevedores and one bulldozer operator were found collapsed inside the stair trunk after they entered the enclosed space without following the proper procedures. The cause of death was due to the oxygen depletion atmosphere inside the stair trunk.
This incident draws the attention of the shipping industry to the dangers associated with the characteristics of semi-coke cargo. Parties concerned should treat the space inside stair trunk to cargo hold as an enclosed space and take appropriate safety precautionary measures before entering such space.
Continue reading “Enclosed space deaths caused by semi-coke cargo says findings”
At 0450 (UTC+11) on 19 May 2016 the Danish registered ro-ro freight ferry Petunia Seaways and the historic motor launch Peggotty collided on the River Humber while in dense fog. As a result of the collision the motor launch suffered severe structural damage and began to take on water. The crew of a local pilot launch responded to Peggotty’s skipper’s VHF2 “Mayday” call and were able to reach the motor launch and rescue the skipper and the one other person on board before it sank. There were no injuries and no significant pollution.
Petunia Seaways’ bridge team remained unaware that the two vessels had collided until after they had left the river, when they were informed by VTS Humber.
Instagram Posts from the IIMS @iimsmarine