Lifeboat damaged by ruptured air cylinders
No crew member was injured An oil tanker's totally enclosed fibreglass lifeboats were equipped with high-pressure air cylinders stowed beside the keel. One day at sea - shortly after the lifeboats had undergone a 5-yearly inspection by an accredited contractor - one of the compressed air cylinders suddenly and spontaneously burst, resulting in extensive damage to the lifeboat's keel and hull.Fortunately, no-one was injured. Once the vessel arrived in port, a local lifeboat service company was contracted to investigate the incident and assess the damage with a view to carrying out repairs. In the absence of supporting documents (certificates/ work reports etc.) and from the dates punched on the cylinders, it appeared that it was more than six years since the last hydraulic test of the air cylinders. (IACS Recommendation No.88: Air bottles for air supply in totally enclosed lifeboats should be hydraulic pressure tested by a competent service station recognised by a Recognised Organisation at intervals not exceeding 5 years and the hydrostatic test date must be permanently marked on the bottles.)The substantial corrosion of the cylinders' exteriors suggested that routine inspections and maintenance had also been seriously neglected. After the air cylinders were removed and closely examined, it ...
Read more