One of the regular sections of SWZ Maritime is MARS Reports, reports from the Marine Accident Reporting Scheme. As we receive more of these reports than we can publish in our magazine, we post the other ones online. Read the extra reports from MARS Report No. 233 here.
MARS Reports cover all kinds of maritime incidents such as (near) collisions and groundings to accidents with tools, falling objects injuring crew and accidents with rescue boats. SWZ Maritime strongly believes relaying these incidents may help prevent new accidents from happening.
ECDIS Anomalies and IHO Data Checks: MARS 201213
The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) has issued a set of data comprising two fictitious Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) cells and four sets of tests to check for a number of anomalies or unexpected behaviour in systems and to allow operators to see whether their ECDIS software is up to date and conforms to the latest ECDIS standards for displaying chart data. (Seaways January 2012).
The IHO have advised that, as of end of January 2012, almost 400 reports of checks (covering 15 of the 25 or so manufacturers of type-certified ECDIS) have been received by IHO from sea. Despite this relatively low number of responses, all those reports received by the IHO indicated some level of unexpected behaviour was present on all the systems that were checked. However, at the same time, the nature of the unexpected behaviour was not exactly the same in every manufacturer’s system.
While the anomalies range in their potential seriousness for safety of navigation, there were concerns raised over the display of underwater features and isolated dangers; the display of complex lights as intended; the display of ‘submerged wreck – dangerous’ as intended by the standards; the display of ‘underwater hazard with a defined depth’ and the display of Archipelagic Sea Lanes (ASL), Environmentally Sensitive Sea Lanes (ESSA) and Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas (PSSA) properly.
Q2 & 3 portrayal of complex lights. Is object 2 the same as in the illustration? Are light characteristics the same as in the illustration?
Additionally, about 1 in 2 of the reports showed the ECDIS would not be able to display a ‘new object’ properly if it was introduced by IMO and 1 in 2 of the reports indicated that the ECDIS had limitations in some aspects of the route checking function. We should all be concerned at the number of reports of systems that appear to have shortcomings in the portrayal of important chart data. In order that all mariners using ECDIS are fully aware of any limitations in the use of their particular ECDIS, owners, managers, ship operators and ships’ officers should ensure that they complete the IHO data checks on their ECDIS/ECS and also report the results back to IHO. If you have not yet received the check data it can be downloaded from the IHO website via the Newslink button on the homepage. An article on the IHO data checks and the legal implications was published in Seaways (January 2012). This can be downloaded from the ECDIS Forum website. In the meantime, Masters may need to take extra measures, such as employing particular equipment operating procedures.
Cable Reel Deck Cargo Broke Loose: MARS 201216
An offshore support vessel sailed from her shore base on a routine supply run to her designated oilfield. Her deck was loaded with a variety of tubing, casings, pallets, tool boxes, food containers and one large unpacked wooden cable reel, weighing about 11 tonnes. The reel was stowed with its axis fore-and-aft and was pre-slung with an extralong 12 mm steel wire sling passed through the very narrow central hole, which precluded threading any other securing rope or chain through the coil. The sling was unsuitable for securing, so the ship’s crew secured the reel by pushing wooden wedges under it and tightening a chain around its girth. Additionally, the vessel’s tugger wire was tensioned at
the reel’s mid-height.
View of unpacked wooden cable reel – note very narrow central hole with lifting wire sling rove through, chain and tugger wire tightened at mid-height.
Soon after sailing, the ship rolled and pitched heavily in a gale, and the accelerations imposed large forces on the lashings. Suddenly, a link in the chain parted and the tugger wire instantly became slack. Subsequent movements displaced the wedges and the bridge watch observed the reel moving freely on the deck. The Master was called, speed reduced to minimum and heading altered into the sea and swell. With the ship now pitching gently, the crew managed
to throw some square timber (4×4’s) across the path of the runaway reel path and gradually regained control over the hazardous situation. A dunnage ‘grid’ was quickly nailed around the base and the reel remained safely inside this while the crew re-tightened additional wires and chains.
Broken link of chain later recovered fom deck
About an hour later, the reel was safely lifted off by the offshore installation to which it was consigned.
Cable reels made of steel can be more effectively secured
Lessons Learnt
- Unpacked wooden cable reels, especially those with a very narrow central hole, cannot be effectively secured and must be shipped only in containers or skids.
- Cable reels made of steel with exposed cross-members or spokes may be shipped unpacked, but must be secured with sufficient number of lashings (chains or wires) and wooden wedges as determined from the vessel’s approved Cargo Securing Manual (CSM) or as per the guidelines contained in the IMO publication Code of Safe Practice for Cargo Stowage and Securing (CSS Code).
- Packing a cable reel inside a timber and plywood skid before shipping on a vessel offers an effective and economical method for safer carriage by sea.
Unpacked cable reel blocked by another cable reel packed on a wooden skid
Acknowledgement
Through the kind intermediary of The Nautical Institute we gratefully acknowledge sponsorship provided by:
American Bureau of Shipping, AR Brink & Associates, Britannia P&I Club, Cargill, Class NK, Consult ISM, DNV, Gard, International Institute of Marine Surveying, Lairdside Maritime Centre, London Offshore Consultants, Lloyd’s Register-Fairplay Safety at Sea International, MOL Tankship Management (Europe) Ltd, Noble Denton, North of England P&I Club, Port of Tyne, Sail Training International, Shipowners Club, The Marine Society and Sea Cadets, The Swedish Club, UK Hydrographic Office, UK P&I Club
Submit a MARS Report
More reports are needed to keep the scheme interesting and informative. All reports are read only by the MARS-coordinator and are treated in the strictest confidence. To submit a report please use the MARS report form (MARS@nautinst.org)
