This investigation report refers to a man overboard incident that took place onboard a chemical tanker. An ordinary seaman fell overboard while he was trying to undo a rope lashing that was attached between the bottom of the pilot ladder and a cleat that was recessed in the ship’s hull and used to hold the pilot ladder against the hull. The accident took place during heavy weather and unfortunately the ordinary seaman was not recovered from the sea and must have been presumed dead.
On 20 February 2006, a team of Stevedores was engaged in the discharge of steel products from the starboard side of No. 2 hatch of a Cargo Ship which was starboard side to at Jellicoe wharf in Auckland. The team consisted of a Foreman Supervisor and three Stevedores within the ships hold, a Hatchman on deck and a driver operating the ship’s crane.
At approximately 1140 hours New Zealand Daylight Time (NZDT) on 15 October 2004, vehicles were being discharged from a reefer vessel. Two gangs from the stevedoring company were operating on board at the time. At about 1140 hours, a 0.5 tonne lifting frame was lifting an approximate 1.0 vehicle from No. 3 hold. The stevedore operating the winch observed the starboard runner wire was starting to unravel. The winch driver immediately lowered the port runner allowing the vehicle to drop onto the starboard deck, as the wire on the yardarm of the union purchase parted.
Last issue of Maritime New Zealand makes reference to an accident involving lifeboats’ fall wire ropes highlighting the importance of proper maintenance of such equipment. A man drowned when a cable or fall wire supporting a lifeboat on a cruise ship failed, plunging him and another crewman into harbour waters.
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Officer of the Watch 