MaritimeBlog. Life Boats Accidents.
SAY NO! TO LIFE BOAT DRILLS!
Fatal Accident on Container Carrier "THE Anna Maersk"
Fatal accident occurred during man-overboard drill on Mar 28, 2012, on board of container carrier “Anna Maersk” in the Japanese port of Kobe. Unexpectedly suspension of a lifeboat failed, and it crashed into the water from a great height. A Filipino crewmember was killed, while a Danish officer was badly injured.
MARS201212
An offshore support vessel planned a routine launch of the rescue boat whilst at sea. A risk assessment was conducted and a permit to work was issued. The 2/O then left the bridge to brief the deck launching team (ABs 1& 2), and the boat’s crew (deck cadets 1 & 2) on the procedures. The conditions were ideal with a light breeze, near-calm sea state and no traffic. Prior to launching, the 2/O held a toolbox meeting, reviewed the procedures and completed all pre-launch checks. It was visually confirmed that the painter was secure and that the painter release mechanism was locked.
See full report here.
From report it is clear that apart of full stop of the headway, which is rather must for safe life/rescue boat drill, crew did everything to carry out the drill safely. This accident one more time underlines inherent unsafety of modern life/rescue boats. Device (i.e. L/Boats generally), being utterly imperfect, become so very sophisticated that to ensure its harmless operation ship’s crew needs hours of briefings and trainings, days of thorough maintenance by crew and shore-based staff, all thinkable instructions and precautions before launching, only to find out that something went wrong again in spite of all due efforts.
MARS201103
In advance of a statutory survey, the master of a tanker alongside a terminal ordered the chief mate and safety officer to lower vessel’s port side (offshore) lifeboat and confirm its proper operation. This was successfully carried out and the lifeboat was secured. Later that morning, in the presence of the class surveyor, the same lifeboat was lowered, when the forward fall wire parted and the empty lifeboat fell into the water.
Root cause/contributory factors:
Inadequate maintenance: faulty/inadequate condition assessment, lubrication, maintenance, adjusting, assembly, cleaning and resurfacing.
See full report here or here.
The report itself gives to the reader not much information, only that same lifeboat was lowered once and successfully recovered, but fell into the water on the second attempt made same day. What really attracts or MUST attract one’s attention are "Root cause/contributory factors" and "Lessons learnt". Both paragraphs are striking examples of "paper safety" when instead of close examination and identification of reasons and factors led to this accident readers are given a set of very common misdoings of general character equally applicable to failure of galley kneader machine or hydraulic pump, radar malfunction or damage to shaft of ballast system valve. When investigation gives such results I have no doubts that repentance of accident is almost ensured never mind 2-3 new checklists and a bunch of circulars which S&Q will send to the fleet.
Cruise ship "The Volendam"
January 9th 2011. A lifeboat remains dangling off the side of a cruise ship, moored at Christchurch’s Port Lyttelton, after a cable broke sending two crew members into the water. Divers searched the water for the 29-year-old man who fell overboard the Volendam, the Holland-American line cruise ship, and eventually recovered the man’s body. The other crew member managed to use a bucket to stay afloat and was quickly rescued. Source www.gCaptain.com
Oil Rig "The Pride Rio de Janeiro"
January 2011. In Portland, Maine, in the United States, one oil rig worker died and two others were injured during a lifeboat drill. "A lifeboat containing three workers was being lifted back to its stowed position aboard the oil rig, the Pride Rio de Janeiro, following a lifeboat drill when the boat’s sternhook failed, dropping the lifeboat and the workers approximately 60 feet into the harbour", said OSHA’s (the Occupational Safety and Health Act) area director for Maine.
Carcarrier "The Tombarra"
In February 2011 FRB and its four crewmembers fell down during the drill from nearly 29m height. Fall wire parted when the rescue boat was hoisted to stowed position. One seafarer died and two needed hospital treatment. Alleged reason of this accident is that the water penetrated plastic hull and accumulated in void spaces filled with polyurethane foam. The boat accordingly weighted 1450kg instead of certified 980kg. Source www.safetyatsea.net
Boxship "CMA CGM Chritophe Colomb"
15 April 2011. During routine life boat drill davit’s hoisting mechanism had given way when the boat was lifted from water level. Two French officers died. Equipment was fitted out with fall prevention device. Source www.safetyatsea.net
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