The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) provides lessons learned from an incident where a tripod positioning transponder wire parted from the tripod framework whilst a vessel was repositioning.
The incident
A tripod positioning transponder wire parted from the tripod framework whilst the vessel was repositioning and needed to re-plumb the transponder. No assets were close by at time of incident. Whilst coming up on the winch it was noticed that there was no weight on the wire; on recovery to the surface it was discovered that the 4mm diameter wire had parted approximately 1m from the tripod lifting eye. The lost tripod was subsequently recovered to deck by divers and the crane.
Probable cause
The equipment failure was caused by excessive wear and tear on equipment; the wire was corroded and was not replaced frequently enough.
Lessons learned
For this reason, IMCA informs about the actions taken following the incident:
- Replaced the damaged wire and conducted a performance test prior to use;
- Regular visual inspection prior to launch and during recovery now conducted;
- Replacement of the spool wire every 6 months added to the vessel PMS.