No system is perfect and risk is everywhere, probably nowhere more so than in shipping, with no guarantees that there will never be an accident, nor that a particular accident will never repeat itself.
Tanker Crashes on Quay – Investigation Report
December 26, 2014 by Leave a Comment
The following information is a summary of the report issued by the the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) and the Swedish Accident Investigation Board (SHK) regarding an accident in the product tanker Prospero on January 2006.
Explosion and Consequent Fire onboard Chemical Tanker – Investigation Report
November 25, 2013 by Leave a Comment
This investigation report refers to an explosion and a consequent fire in the forecastle of the 2159gt Isle of Man registered tanker Border Heather on 31 October 2004. As a result significant damage was caused to the vessel’s structure and systems but fortunately no-one was injured and there was no pollution.
Collision Between Tankers During STS Operations – Investigation Report
October 28, 2013 by Leave a Comment
This investigation report refers to the collision of the Greek registered tanker Saetta and the Marshall Islands’ registered tanker Conger when completing a ship to ship (STS) transfer operation off Southwold, Suffolk on 10 August 2009. Saetta’s starboard lifeboat and davit were damaged. Conger was undamaged and there were no injuries and no pollution.
Collision Between General Cargo Ship and Chemical Tanker in Dover Strait TSS – Investigation Report
July 15, 2013 by Leave a Comment
On 9 October 2001, the 1009 gt general cargo ship Ash was en route from Odense, Denmark, to the Spanish port of Pasajes, with a cargo of steel coils. She had six crew on board and was making a speed of about 6.25 knots over the ground in the south-west traffic lane of the Dover Strait TSS to the south-east of Hastings. The 4,671 gt chemical tanker Dutch Aquamarine was also on passage in the same traffic lane, en route from Antwerp to Swansea. She had a mixed chemical cargo and a crew of 12 on board. She was making about 12.5 knots over the ground. Despite the fact that the weather was fine and the visibility good the watchkeeper on Dutch Aquamarine did not notice Ash in the period immediately before the collision until she was very close and right ahead. Ash was holed in the collision, she listed quickly to starboard, capsized and sank. The six persons on board jumped into the water and five of them were rescued by Dutch Aquamarine’s fast rescue craft.
Lifeboat Accidental Release During Maintenance – Investigation Report
June 24, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The Turkish registered, ISM accredited bulk carrier Gulser Ana entered Stormont Wharf, Belfast on 16 October 2001. On arrival, she underwent a Port State Control inspection by MCA surveyors. Thirty-seven deficiencies were found and the vessel was detained. On the morning of 17 October 2001, two seamen were tasked with freeing up and greasing the releasing hooks on the starboard lifeboat while it was in the water. These had been found seized the day before, during the inspection.
Fatal Fall of Shore Worker in Cargo Tank – Investigation Report
November 26, 2012 by Leave a Comment
At 2258 on 19 February 2010, a German shore worker was fatally injured on board the oil/chemical tanker Bro Arthur. Bro Arthur had part-discharged at Rotterdam before arriving in Hamburg to offload her remaining crude palm oil cargo. A team of three cargo “sweepers” had been arranged under the operational direction of a supercargo (person who has wide experience in cargo operations, and normally acts on behalf of the charterer). While exiting No 2 cargo tank on completion of the “sweeping” operation, one of the “sweepers” fell to the bottom of the tank.
Derailment of On Board Hatch-Lid Gantry Crane – Investigation Report
November 19, 2012 by Leave a Comment
On 22 July 2011, the hatch-lid gantry crane on board the dry cargo vessel Blue Note derailed while it was carrying a single hatch-lid to its stowed position in preparation for discharging cargo. The derailment caused the chief officer, who had been riding on one of the crane’s wheel units, to be thrown overboard; an able seaman, who had been riding on another wheel unit, to be left hanging by his hands over the 8.4m deep hold; and the second officer, who was operating the crane, to fall to the deck of the control platform. All three crewmen were lucky to escape with only minor injuries.
Crewman Death After Falling Overboard – Investigation Report
November 12, 2012 by 3 Comments
On 13 December 2010, an able seaman (AB) fell into the River Clyde from the St Vincent and the Grenadines registered cargo vessel Joanna, while the vessel was alongside in Glasgow, Scotland. He was recovered from the water about 25 minutes later, but could not be resuscitated. The investigation identified that the AB almost certainly fell while climbing up to the port side platform of the straddle lift used to move the vessel’s cargo hatch covers.
Fatal Fall Into Ballast Tank – Investigation Report
November 4, 2012 by Leave a Comment
On 28 January 2009, the chief officer on board the UK registered container ship Ville de Mars fell almost 8 m when descending into a water ballast tank (the vessel’s forward ballast tank). The vessel was on passage in the Gulf of Oman. He was removed from the tank by the ship’s crew and died while being flown to a hospital ashore in Oman by a Royal Navy helicopter. The chief officer had been due to leave the vessel the following day in Jebel Ali, UAE. No postmortem was conducted.
Officer of the Watch 