On 19 June 2016, an engineer from the container vessel HS Rossini, was fatally injured when he fell on the deck of bunker barge Smit Bongani. The cause of the fall was neither related to the vessel’s operations nor to defects in the ladder, which was being used, Transport Malta says. However, the safety investigation analysed the situation from the perspective of missing barriers which would have otherwise prevented the fall to the barge.
The fall
HS Rossini had arrived in Durban, South Africa for container operations. While at berth, barge Smit Bongani manoeuvred alongside HS Rossini to supply bunkers. The bunker hose was connected and the third engineer climbed down the pilot ladder to read the fuel flow meter. On his way back, he fell off the pilot ladder to the deck of Smit Bongani and sustained fatal head injuries.
Bunkering company procedure
The Company’s Safety and Environmental Management Manual (SEMM), Document C06 addressed bunkering operations. It stated that “a failure during bunkering operations may cause several consequences for the environment, ship and the crew.”
The Document required a procedural agreement with the bunker supply barge, the establishment of radio communication channels, calling the local pollution response team and to agree on clean up procedures. The chief engineer, who was responsible for bunkering operations, also had instructions in a technical letter (Circular Letter 10) which, inter alia, stated that “…whenever taking bunkers, it is important that the tanks of the shore or barge supplier are sounded to make sure that the quantity supplied is in accordance with the delivery note.”
Conclusions
The crew member may have found himself in a situation where he had to choose between either going through an ‘extensive’ checklist and preparation of other personal safety equipment, or go down the bunker supply barge and on board his ship again to commence the bunkering operation. Also, the crew member’s perception of climbing the ladder was of a very straight forward task.
Explore more by reading the investigation report issued by Transport Malta
