In its latest Safety Digest, UK MAIB references a case in which a deck officer on an ultra large container vessel suffered fatal injuries when a mooring line parted during cargo operations.
An ultra large container vessel was berthed alongside in port. Cargo operations had been suspended due to very strong winds of over 50 knots, and the master had taken the precaution of posting a crew member at the vessel’s forward and aft mooring stations to monitor and adjust its lines.
Just before lunch, one of the vessel’s deck officers went onto the upper deck to inspect the safety and security of the vessel. When the officer reached the forecastle, they went forward of the mooring winches to inspect the lines. While the officer was in this exposed position, standing close to a mooring line, a strong gust of wind hit the vessel, and the rope parted close to the bollard ashore.
On board, a bight of the mooring line flew up as the tension was released, striking the deck officer’s head (Figure 2) and throwing them to the deck. The ship’s crew quickly raised the alarm, and paramedics attended the vessel. The injured deck officer was taken to hospital, where they sadly died from their injuries a few days later.
Lessons learned
Risk
Mooring lines under tension in bad weather present a very significant risk to life, and it must be assumed that they are liable to fail without warning. On this occasion, the line parted just behind the mooring eye close to the jetty. Although the end of the rope did not snap back onto the forecastle, the sudden release in the line’s tension caused a bight of the rope on board to fly up and strike the deck officer. It is possible that the deck officer underestimated the risk because the vessel’s mooring lines were almost new, still in good condition, and no audible creaking or groaning was present to indicate imminent failure (Figure 2).
Action
Sensibly, the entire forecastle mooring station had been identified as a snap-back zone. Additional measures to reduce risk could include fitting snap-back arrestors to mooring lines. These arrestors absorb the force within a parted line and significantly reduce the probability of the parted line striking crew members. The vessel operator in this case also introduced a campaign to encourage crew members to challenge colleagues who they observed as about to put themselves at risk.
