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.
32 years have passed since the capsizing of Herald of Free Enterprise, only a few minutes after leaving Zeebrugge port on 6 March 1987, killing 193 people. The incident is considered, not only as the deadliest casualty involving a UK-registered ship since 1919, but also as a wake-up call for safety improvements.
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.
The US Coast Guard is scheduled to conduct a formal public hearing beginning on 13 May 2019 at the Newport, Oregon City Hall to consider evidence related to the Mary B II marine casualty investigation. The capsizing of fishing vessel Mary B II led to the deaths of three fishermen on 8 January.
Last week marked 18 years since the explosion and sinking of the VLCC ‘MT Haven’ off the coast of Genoa, Italy. To date, Haven is not only known as the world’s largest shipwrecks, but also the largest oil spill in the history of the Mediterranean Sea.
16th April marks five years after Sewol ferry sinking shocked the global community. Sewol ferry sank on 16 April 2014, in South Korean waters taking the lives of over 300 people, most of whom where kids on a school excursion. Four years later, in August 2018, the official panel investigation on the accident said it could not find exact causes for South Korea’s deadliest maritime casualty since 1970.
The USCG has issued a Safety Alert on the dangers of confined space entry , in light of a recent casualty where three people were asphyxiated on a drilling rig (MODU). The Coast Guard says that Studies have shown that people often miss the obvious cues of a situation while under stress and because their focus is upon another effort or action that needs to be accomplished.
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.
This week, shipping commemorated the grounding and sinking of the cruise ship ‘Sea Diamond’ off the Greek island of Santorini in the Aegean Sea. The incident resulted in two fatalities, but it is still discussed for lying at the bottom of Aegean Sea as a ‘toxic bomb’ in the local marine ecosystem.
