The USCG issued a marine safety alert on a big vessel that manoeuvred its entry in a port due to hazardous weather conditions. The USCG notes that this casualty reiterates the dangers of personnel exchanges at sea, especially in heavy weather conditions.
The Swedish Accident Investigation Authority published its report on the death of a casual labourer from oxygen deficiency when he entered an unventilated spiral ladder leading down to one of the cargo holds. The probable cause was a combination of being unaware of the risks, because of lack of training and experience in discharging coal.
UK MAIB issued an investigation report on the capsizing of the fishing vessel ‘Laura Jane’ resulting in one fatality. The report identified issues related to the weight of fishing gear being carried, the vessel’s very low freeboard, as well as the fact that the owner had not undertaken a stability assessment.
Transport Malta’s Marine Safety Investigation Unit (MSIU) issued an investigation report on a serious injury of a stevedore onboard the Panamanian-flagged general cargo ship ‘NS Tera’ at Laboratory Wharf, Valletta, in April 2018.
Two years after the VLOC Stellar Daisy sank along with almost its entire crew in the South Atlantic Ocean, the Marshall Islands issued the investigation report on the accident, identifying a ‘catastrophic structural failure of the ship’s hull’ as key cause of the accident.
Japan Transport Safety Board issued an accident investigation concerning a cargo ship that was un-manoeuvrable due to lack of handling its anchor. By having only one anchor, the vessel drifted in the current and collided with a bulk carrier, resulting to both vessels having damages. Yet, there were no injuries reported.
Japan Transport Safety Board issued an accident investigation concerning a chemical tanker that was conducting cleaning work in a cargo oil tank. Yet, the cleaning work resulted to an explosion leading to the injury of two seamen and damages to the cargo.
NTSB published its report on the fire on board the commercial fishing vessel Ole Betts Sea, on March 18, 2018, in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. The fire lasted for 16 hours, and the vessel eventually sank about 18 miles northeast of the island of Garden Key, Dry Tortugas, Florida. No pollution or injuries were reported. The ship was a total loss valued at $200,000.
The Hong Kong marine department issued an information note, concerning a fatality incident of two seafarers that entered a fumigated cargo hold of a Hong Kong registered bulk carrier. This Note draws the attention of shipowners, ship managers, ship operators, masters, officers and crew to the lessons learnt from this accident.
TAIC issued an investigation report on the collision of the passenger ship ‘Seabourn Encore’ with the bulk cement carrier at Timaru, on 12 February 2017, after its breakaway from wharf. The Commission found that the mooring failed because the bollards on the wharf failed.
