MALTA MSIU REPORT CONFIRMS DAMAGED VALVES IN BWTS LEAD TO ENGINE ROOM FLOODING
Transport Malta’s MSIU has published its investigation report into a serious incident concerning the Maltese- registered capsize bulk carrier ‘Capri’ that arrived at Dampier anchorage, Australia on 22 December 2017. The ballast system’s valves were damaged, causing approximately 1,100 tonnes of seawater flooding the engine room.
The Incident Capri, a bulk carrier, was scheduled to load 164,000 tonnes of iron ore for China. On December 24, while the vessel was anchored, it deballasted ballast nos 1 and 4 aiming to decrease the number of ballast tanks the vessel would have to deballast, once alongside when loading operations would start.
On December 25, the vessel berthed. Since loading hadn’t start, the chief chose to strip the ballast tanks that had been emptied during the day before. After completing that action, he advised the engine room to line up the ballast system so that deballasting could take place when loading started.
When the loading began on December 26, the chief ordered the engine room to get ready for deballasting operations. This action required the starting of an additional generator. The chief mate then opened the remote suction valves to ballast tanks nos. 2 port and starboard. Soon, a loud bang was heard and the vessel blacked out.
When power was restored, the crew found out a spray of water coming from the ballast pump suction strainer cover that was reaching the electrical distribution panel located close to the strainer. Water was steadily rising in the engine- room bilges. Despite isolating the ballast system, about 1,100 tonnes of sea water flooded into the engine-room.
Read the story in full and download the report at
https://bit.ly/2AYWH5s FAILURE OF A THROW BAG RESCUE LINE DURING A BOAT CAPSIZE DRILL REPORT PUBLISHED
On the evening of 24 March 2018, the Warrington Rowing Club was carrying out a boat capsize drill in a swimming pool. At around 1830, as a young person was being pulled to the side of the pool using a throw bag rescue line, the line parted. The young person was uninjured during the incident. The parted line was examined and found to be made up of four pieces of rope thermally fused together, and it had failed at one of the joints. A customer notification campaign by the manufacturer, RIBER, and prompt publication of the incident in British Rowing’s newsletter, identified a total of ten throw bags with defective rescue lines. Laboratory tests conducted for the MAIB established that the joined sections were 12 times weaker than the rope itself.
Safety lessons – the failure of a throw bag rescue line during an emergency rescue operation in fast flowing and deep waters could potentially result in the casualty drowning
– a large number of throw bags are in use in the UK, both in the leisure sector and emergency rescue services. However as throw bags are not considered safety or lifesaving equipment, there is no requirement to manufacture them to a specific safety or quality standard
– at present, the only safeguard against poor and unsafe workmanship of throw bags is limited to the quality checks of the manufacturer; such checks lack third-party oversight
– considering the large number of throw bags in use in the UK, both in the leisure sector and emergency rescue services, the lack of a quality and safety standard needs to be addressed as a matter of priority
– the MCA’s ongoing study to establish responsibility for beach safety is a first step in the right direction towards identifying the appropriate legislative framework for throw bags and public rescue equipment in general
Recommendation The British Standards Institution has been recommended (2019/105) to develop a standard for public rescue equipment, ensuring that the topic of throw bags and their rescue lines is addressed as a priority.
Download the report at
https://bit.ly/2MJtnol
18 | The Report • March 2019 • Issue 87
Safety Briefings
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