loading – Officer of the Watch

Fatal Fall Overboard on Ice Covered Water – Investigation Report

On 12 Feb 2009 at 18:30 OOCL Nevskiy berthed at Mussalo Harbour, Port of Kotka. The unloading of its containers began right away. After the incoming containers destined for Kotka
were unloaded, the loading of outgoing containers began at 21:30. The ship’s deck department secured the loaded containers with lashing wires. A seaman working under the supervision of the boatswain was lashing a container on the port side of cargo hatch number 2 when he slipped and fell over the rail. The sea was covered with ice and he was almost instantly killed.

West of England P&I issued an alert regarding ballasting while loading or discharging from barges in response to a number of cases recently where dry bulk products stowed inside barges made fast to the ship have been damaged by ballast water. Incidents of this type may lead to significant cargo claims and are almost always avoidable.

On two occasions the vessels concerned were discharging into barges and ballasting simultaneously. During the ballasting operation the double bottom tanks were flooded and water overflowed on to the main deck. The water then rained away via the overboard scuppers and into the open holds of barges moored alongside.