Page 12 - 2022 - Q4 - Minerva in Focus

SAFETY & SECURITY Case study:

Heavy Weather Leading to a Fatality

Οccurred on board a vessel of another company

While on passage across the Great Australian Bight from Melbourne to Freemantle, a vessel
encountered heavy weather, which had deteriorated the previous night as a front passed
over, necessitating a reduction in the main engine speed. At the time of the incident, a
Beaufort Force 7 (28 – 33 knots) wind was blowing with a very rough sea and a long, heavy
swell. The vessel was riding the weather well and only occasionally shipping spray forwards.

What happened? prior to returning to the accommodation,
where he engaged the assistance of three
At 0800, the captain, following a discussion crew members, the Bosun, and two ABs, to
with the chief officer and third officer, felt proceed forwards to assist him. Due to the
Figure 1:
that the weather was getting slightly better containers on deck, the party proceeding
Windlass and forecastle store and there was no need to restrict access to along the deck and onto the forecastle was
access hatch. the main deck. However, the third officer not visible to the bridge watchkeeper; the
had previously instructed the watchkeep- chief officer had not informed the bridge
ing AB, who was also working on stencilling or anyone else of his plan, and none of
the ship’s new name on the lifebuoys, not them had a radio. Others on the bridge did
to do any work on the forecastle. not know what the phone call between the
At 0800, the second engineer reported by second engineer and the chief officer was
telephone to the chief officer on the bridge about. The party of four proceeded to the
that he could see sunlight in the forecastle forecastle (Figure 1) via the main deck.
store coming through the access hatch on The repair party found that the access
the forecastle deck. The electrician discov- hatch cover to the forecastle store had
ered this while proceeding to the cargo holds been torn off and was lying on top of a
to check on the refrigerated containers, who gypsy. Ropes previously coiled abaft the
then reported the presence of water at the windlass were found scattered around the
aft end of the port side underdeck passage deck. These were coiled and lashed before
to the second engineer, who, in turn, had the issue of the damaged access hatch was
investigated the source of the water. addressed. The access hatch lid was found
It is believed that the chief officer, fol- to be distorted, and attempts to replace
lowing his earlier conversation with the it proved fruitless. The chief officer then
second engineer, had initially proceeded instructed the Bosun to get some canvas to
by himself to the forecastle to investigate make a temporary cover for the access. Due

by Slav Rapley Figure 2: Locations of personnel on forecastle.
Britannia P&I Club

12 MINERVA IN FOCUS – ISSUE 22 / Q4 2022