A miscommunication between a crane operator a platform supply vessel’s (PSV) crewmembers, led a mooring rope to the side of the vessel. After that the port side engine shut down and there was partial loss of vessel propulsion.
The incident
A platform supply vessel (PSV) was performing mooring operations whilst stern to a platform, without anchoring, in order to conduct a snatch lift. The platform crane operator started to lower a mooring rope of 20cm diameter to the port side of the vessel’s stern quarter bollard area. The deck crew then fixed the end of the mooring rope to the bollard.
Then, part of mooring rope was lowered to the water. Because of a miscommunication between the crane operator and the deck crew, the rope was fouled on the port side propeller, causing the port side engine to shut down and partial loss of vessel propulsion.
Probable cause
Three factors contributed to this incident:
- Lack of proper planning and risk assessment during the mooring operation;
- Inadequate communication between the platform crane operator and the mooring crew on deck;
- The deck crew did not notify the bridge in time when the rope was lowered into the water, and thus the propeller was fouled by the rope.
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Lessons Learned
- There needs to be enough means of communication between crane operator, deck mooring team and bridge officer on watch (OOW);
- Proper attention should be paid to the job in hand during mooring operations to ensure a timely reaction to any unexpected events;
- A detailed risk assessment is needed for this task where the vessel takes a mooring rope from a platform or rig;
- Stop work authority should be exercised when in doubt.
