During discharging operations, a tug’s line fastened to the tanker broke no less than six times due to the weather conditions, yet operations were never halted. The Nautical Institute discusses the incident in its latest Mars Report.
The Nautical Institute gathers reports of maritime accidents and near-misses. It then publishes these so-called Mars (Mariners’ Alerting and Reporting Scheme) Reports (anonymously) to prevent other accidents from happening. This is one of these reports.
A tanker had moored to a single point mooring (SPM) buoy ready to start discharging operations. A tug was used aft to apply tension on the vessel and keep it in line with the predominant swell during the discharging operation. Wind and swell were coming from astern and were just within the maximum agreed conditions so discharging operations were started.
Over the next forty hours of discharging, the tug’s line to the tanker broke six times. Each time a break occurred, the discharging was halted and another line was installed. Then discharge operations continued. At no time did the tanker’s master question the mooring master’s decision to continue the discharging operation or to stop work and re-evaluate the conditions or the assumptions on which past decisions were made.
Also read: Stern line failure while departing causes fatality
Advice from The Nautical Institute
- Luckily, no injuries were sustained during these incidents. Hindsight being 20/20, it seems clear in retrospect that after several line failures (3?, 4?) a decision to delay the discharge should have been taken by the vessel’s master or the mooring master.
- When bad outcomes happen, investigate – ask why! At a minimum, reevaluate the conditions of work.
Also read: Towline pennant failure destroys tug wheelhouse window
Mars Reports
This accident was covered in the Mars Reports, originally published as Mars 202429, that are part of Report Number 380. A selection of the Mars Reports are also published in the SWZ|Maritime magazine. The Nautical Institute compiles these reports to help prevent maritime accidents. That is why they are also published (in full) on SWZ|Maritime’s website.
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.
