Published on 03 Nov 2022
External incidents
Published on 03 Nov 2022
Ship A arrived at the anchorage to load grain cargo from the anchored bulk carrier, ship B. The mooring arrangement between the two ships consisted of three headlines, three stern lines, two springs forward and aft. All the lines belonged to ship A. Both the ships had similar freeboards when cargo operations began.
With loading about 80% complete, ship B’s deck was about 8 m higher than Ship A’s. The forward crane operator on Ship B advised his duty officer that Ship A needed to be moved forward. Ship A’s C/O and an AB manned the aft mooring station while the 3/O and Bosun manned the forward station.
As the Bosun slackened the forward springs, the AB began to haul in on one of the aft springs. The moment it came under tension, the mooring line slipped out of its shipside open roller fairlead. It struck the C/O on head and he fell unconscious to the deck. He was unresponsive with no visible injuries but he was breathing and had pulse.
The 2/O of Ship A administered first aid to the C/O, gave him oxygen and monitored blood pressure and pulse. Almost two hours later, the C/O was transferred ashore in a tugboat. He was declared dead on arrival.
- Improper risk assessment – The RA did not consider the steep angle of mooring lines due to difference in freeboards of two ships, which resulted in ship staff using one open fairlead to pass two lines during warping.
- Lack of risk awareness - The C/O of Ship A positioned himself in a danger zone immediately adjacent to the tensioned aft spring during the warping operation.
- Mooring procedures not followed – Ship staff used a single open fairlead to pass two lines.
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