Date：2025/Feb/08
No：OTR-00-2502-027-1-000-T-D18
D-18 External Information 2025-003全球海事新聞及案例2025-02-08
Damage to accommodation ladder.
As edited from MAIS (Hong Kong SAR) report
A tanker had arrived at berth to load a fuel parcel. Once mooring was completed, the starboard accommodation
ladder was prepared for the embarkation of local authorities, including the agent and the terminal personnel.
Upon embarkation of the first group of terminal workers, they requested that the vessel lower the ladder
somewhat to reduce the gap from the dock. The ladder was subsequently lowered but now was below the level
of the jetty.
As the vessel was moving somewhat, both vertically (15 cm) and horizontally (30 cm), the ladder hit the dock
and suffered damage before it could be raised above the level of the jetty.
On the target vessel, a supply tug much smaller than the bulk carrier, the engine stopped immediately at the
time of collision and the vessel lost power and lights. The OOW informed VTS that the vessel was sinking.
The vessel’s general alarm did not work, so the Master told the helmsman to raise the other crew members
from below and abandon ship. The vessel quickly developed a heavy list to starboard and sank some four
minutes after the collision. Seven crew members escaped the sinking vessel and were floating nearby. About
30 minutes later they recovered from the water by searching for and rescue (SAR) units. Fifteen remaining
crew members drowned inside the vessel.
1
Lessons learned
• Consider your actions before executing them – bad consequences are a possibility so be situationally
aware.
• Sometimes we rush to please others. Stay focused on safety.
2
Fingers crushed by heavy equipment.
by The Safety4SEA Editorial Team
An engineer and a helper needed to inspect the spare impeller blade assembly for the inert gas generator.
This spare was kept in a plywood box, and was underneath a spare flame shield, which was quite heavy.
With no further planning, the crew attempted to lift the heavy flame shield off the impeller box by hand.
Both crew were wearing cotton gloves for the task.
The plywood cover of the impeller box was only loosely installed. While shifting the flame shield, the loose
plywood cover also moved, and one corner of the cover slid and fell inside the box. The flame shield was
too heavy for the crew to support the weight, and the engineer’s right index and middle finger were trapped
between the flame shield and the wooden box. The victim received a deep cut on the index finger and a
swollen middle finger.
3
Lessons learned
• Before carrying out any job, carry out an informal risk assessment which involves inspecting the job
and the surrounding area. Ask yourself, what are the hazards?
• Whenever handling a heavy object, evaluate whether lifting appliances can be employed or alternate
methods used to lift or handle the object. Use common sense before brute strength!
• Alternatively, if space constraints prevent the use of lifting appliances, it is crucial to ensure an
adequate number of crew members are available for the task. l Never put your hands below a heavy
object or take a position which might lead to a crush injury.
• Use appropriate PPE. Debatably, leather gloves would have been more appropriate for this task and
would have probably reduced the severity of the injuries. Yet, no injuries would have been sustained
had the above lessons been applied prior to working.
