Tag: The Nautical Institute

Preventative actions with a view to preventing recurrence A large crude carrier berthed at a loading terminal, deploying two headlines, four breastlines, two backsprings forward and two sternlines, four breastlines, two backsprings aft, as recommended by the pilot. After loading commenced, moorings were regularly tended to by ship's staff.However, the following evening, the terminal suspended loading, stating that the vessel had moved position forward by 2.5 metres. The vessel contested this claim, estimating that the movement did not exceed a metre. Nevertheless, the crew immediately repositioned the vessel to the satisfaction of the terminal and loading was resumed. Root cause/contributory factorsInappropriate advice on moorings configuration by berthing pilot that was not in accordance with published guidelines which recommended a 3-2-2 configuration of mooring lines fore and aft;Location of the shore fittings (quick-release hooks) was such that the after breastlines led ahead, acting like additional after backsprings;Uneven distribution of forces caused the vessel to move ahead during loading.Corrective actionsVessel was repositioned immediately by ship's staff to the terminal's satisfaction;A prominent reference mark was secured on the ship's rail and the correct position of the ship at the berth was closely and continuously monitored; Master and chief officer held a meeting with ...

Precautions and recommendations Case 1 A crewmember was exercising with heavy weights in the ship's gymnasium, when he heard a clicking sound from his right shoulder and felt acute pain. He became semi-conscious and as he fell to the deck, the heavy weight which he was lifting landed on the over-strained shoulder. Subsequently, even after treatment on board, he continued to feel soreness and pain in the affected muscles and there was discoloration in the region of the right triceps. Case 2 While the vessel was rolling heavily in rough weather and heavy seas, a lone crewmember was observed training in the ship's gymnasium using heavy weights. He was immediately prevented from continuing with the weight training as there was an unacceptably high risk of injuring himself. Case 3 It was observed that the barbells in the ship's gymnasium were not properly stowed and secured in their designated locations. If they had broken loose in adverse sea conditions, their movement could potentially have injured personnel and caused damage to the surrounding equipment. Recommendations Select weights as per your capacity and use with correct technique, otherwise you may not be in proper control; Choose safe exercises suited to your body's build ...

Need to follow ocumented procedures after carrying out main engine maintenance While in port, the engineers renewed the plungers and barrels of three units of the main engine fuel pump, but neglected to try out the engine after completion of the task.When controls were tested an hour prior to pilot boarding, the main engine could not be started. As the problem could not be immediately detected and rectified, the scheduled departure arrangements had to be postponed resulting in off hire and commercial loss. Root cause/contributory factors Non-compliance with standard operating procedures that require that the engines be tried out for satisfactory operation immediately after any repairs or maintenance; Fuel system was not primed after completion of maintenance; Control air system filters were badly choked with dirt and excess oil; Routine draining of control air bottles was not carried out properly by the ship's staff. (The practice onboard was only to 'crack open' the drain valve of the air receiver for short periods. This procedure is not enough to drain out or to check for oil or water accumulated in the bottles. Drain valve must be kept fully open for the duration as per maker's specifications to confirm that accumulated water ...

Crews are required to take training in tanker operations On a product tanker on a short voyage between two busy ports, the crew started tank cleaning operations. They fitted a water-driven fan to ventilate the tank with plastic ducting extending to the lower portion of the tank. After completing the ventilation, two crew members entered the tank to remove oil cargo residues.There was an explosion which tore away bulkheads to adjoining tanks and ignited the aviation fuel and kerosene slops that were stored in them. The explosion breached the hull in these tanks and the engine room and the ship flooded rapidly, developed a starboard list and sank. The crew escaped by jumping into the sea.Out of a total of 16 crew, seven were rescued by passing ships. Three bodies were recovered from the sea, while a further six crew members are missing, presumed dead. Probable cause/contributory factorsThe source of ignition could not be identified. It was probably either a discharge of static electricity from the crew's winter clothing or from the plastic ventilation ducting, or a friction spark created when an ordinary metal can that was used to carry tools impacted with the tank's internal surfaces;The crew was under ...

Inspectiosn and post of appropriate warnings are necessary During coastal passage, the chief engineer inspected the lower side of the forward seal of the stern tube as part of his rounds. He then turned around and proceeded forward towards the ladder leading up to the bottom plates. He stepped on a flat-bar and rod grating section forming part of the walkway along and underneath the tail-end shaft.The grating section was too small for the bilge well that it covered, and fell down into the well. Thrown off-balance due to the fall, the engineer's right leg hit the exposed sharp edge of the bilge well with great force, inflicting a serious gash wound extending almost the full length of his shin bone. After being rescued and given first aid, he was medevacced by helicopter to receive medical treatment on shore. Root causeMismatch in dimensions of grating section and bilge well opening resulting in grating being insufficiently supported by the edges of the bilge well;No lock bolts fitted on the grating; Due to the location's low lighting levels and difficult access, the potential hazard could not be readily seen; The location was not included in the unmanned operation route risk assessment check ...

Use of deficient and different versions of MSDSs A chemical tanker was instructed to load 2000 tonnes of crude sulphate turpentine (CST), a Category X cargo under MARPOL Annex II. The cargo was to be discharged to another tanker via a ship-to-ship (StS) transfer at a receiving terminal. Although there were several experienced crewmembers on board, none of them had any previous experience of this cargo, or knew about its associated hazards.The ship's Safety Management System (SMS), Procedures and Arrangements (P&A) Manual, cargo checklists and procedures were all followed, despite there being no information on this specific cargo.Prior to arrival, a briefing was conducted by the chief officer. The material safety data sheets (MSDS), were not available at the time. Accordingly, the hazards of the cargo (toxicity of H2S, organo-sulphides and mercaptans) were not properly discussed. On arrival, the shipper handed the vessel a cargo-specific MSDS. The ship's manager also supplied a generic MSDS which did not mention H2S. Because of the delayed and incomplete information from a large number of sources, the crew remained largely ignorant of the dangers of the cargo.The receiving STS ship, the terminal staff and even the cargo surveyor, who also obtained a generic MSDS ...

International Maritime Human Element Bulletin Alert You cannot produce a safety management system on the cheap, or expect people to snap to attention and follow procedures when the top management fails to provide the resources, while failing to exhibit a positive attitude to safety.There is some tough talking and good reading in the latest issue of the International Maritime Human Element Bulletin Alert! which develops the themes of health, safety, security, environment and quality (HSEQ) - the essential components of an integrated management system. Practical and expert contributors demonstrate that safety is not something that raises its head at safety meetings, but must be woven into the fabric of both the organisation and the individual, ashore and aboard.What are the stumbling blocks to the International Safety Management Code reaching its full potential? A thoughtful study suggests that while the ISM Code might seem to be just a set of tools, a range of conditions which include full employee participation, the acceptance of seafarers as equal partners, and a radical change of mindset are needed to escape the authoritarian tick-box mentality that it can become in the wrong hands.Common sense and seamanship are often forgotten in our regulated world, where blaming ...