Follow simultaneous operations (SIMOPS) procedures warns The Nautical Institute in a new Mars Report. The report describes how a lifeboat drill was conducted during loading operations, resulting in damage to the lifeboat as well as an oil boom.
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 was in port loading. The master requested permission from the port to carry out a boat drill. During the drill the lifeboat was lowered to the water and the motor was tested. Because the oil boom surrounding the tanker was very close to the ship, the oil boom chain became entangled in the lifeboat propellor.
The chain had to be cut to free and the propellor and the oil boom were replaced. No other damage was incurred.
Also read: Uncontrolled release of lifeboat
Advice from The Nautical Institute
- Avoid holding drills concurrently with cargo operation.
- Follow simultaneous operations (SIMOPS) procedures. In this case, company procedures required that the head office be informed and a SIMOPS risk assessment conducted, which was not done.
Also read: Lifeboat self-launches causing two fatalities
Mars Reports
This accident was covered in the Mars Reports, originally published as Mars 202604. 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.
Also read: LR machine learning tech reveals that main cause of lifeboat accidents is failing equipment
