Nautical Institute: Use fall prevention even if the height seems small
Slips, trips, and falls are one of the leading causes of injuries for shipboard personnel, according to The Nautical Institute. This is highlighted in a recent Mars Report in which a hazard in plain sight...Read more
RoRo vessel rolls heavily and tips trucks
Passage plans need to be revised according to weather according to The Nautical Institute. The organisation gives this warning after a RoRo had its cargo topple over in heavy weather.Read more
‘Questionable decisions’ during ship-to-ship transfer end in tragedy
The master of a supply boat has died after being knocked over board by a swinging load. The Nautical Institute discusses the incident in a Mars Report and points out some of the contributory ‘questionable...Read more
Oil leakage leeds to better storage of reducers on board tanker
A tanker was in port and discharging oil product. During the discharge, deck crew noticed a small leak coming from the manifold reducer. The incident resulted in a review of the way reduces are stored...Read more
‘Don’t assume other vessels will stay clear of you’
In the latest Mars Report, The Nautical Institute discusses a collision between a container vessel and a tanker. Despite the two being aware of each other’s presence, this did not help to prevent the collision.Read more
Do you know how unusual cargo may impact your ship’s stability?
A recent Mars Report describes a car carrier carrying timber instead of cars developing a severe list underway. This resulted in the crew having to be evacuated. The Nautical Institute’s advice: don’t sail without a...Read more
Premature brake release spills two crew into water
Unsafe practices can soon become the norm and deviating from established procedures can increase risk. This is the advice given by The Nautical Institute after two crew members of a Ro-Ro ferry fell into the...Read more
Fatal fall from ladder on board bulk carrier
Seafarers can become desensitised to the hazards around them, which can have dramatic consequences. A recent Mars Report describes a fatal accident on board a bulk carrier, where it had become common practice to climb...Read more
Don’t use the anchor to keep your ship in place in heavy weather
Anchors and associated gear are for holding ships in light to moderate weather conditions. For more adverse weather, drifting or slow steaming (hove-to) would be the safer option. The Nautical Institute gives this advice after...Read more
Make sure you understand your ship’s motion monitoring and forecast tools
Container ship CMA CGM G. Washington lost 137 containers overboard as a result of parametric roll. The Nautical Institute points out that a major contributing factor was that the crew was not fully conversant with...Read more
Do you check your ship’s air moving equipment before first use each day?
Before commencing gas freeing operations, air moving equipment has to be grounded. On a tank barge where this was not carried out properly, static electricity caused an explosion.Read more
Two tanker mooring lines caught in bow thruster
Due care must always be taken with lines near a working bow thruster. A recent Mars Report features an incident in which the mooring lines were drawn into the thruster tunnel fouling the propeller blades.Read more
Bulk carrier dragging anchor leads to grounding
Anchoring a ship on a lee shore with expected high winds is asking for trouble. In a recent Mars Report, a master did just that. Despite keeping the main engines ready, he could not get...Read more
‘Be aware of your senior role when supervising young seafarers’
When there is inexperienced crew on board a ship, senior seafarers should take special care in guiding and supervising them. This advice is given by The Nautical Institute in a recent Mars Report in which...Read more
Alcohol and fatigue lead to vessel grounding
Taking the watch alone at night while being tired is always a very bad idea. Adding alcohol into the mix is even worse. A recent Mars Report tells of a ship’s master who did just...Read more
Tug grounds after officer of the watch falls asleep
Even when you comply with the rules, fatigue can still jeopardise safe operations on board a ship. In a recent Mars Report, the officer of the watch fell asleep due to fatigue resulting in his...Read more
Do you conduct a risk assessment before working on your ship’s boiler?
Boilers involve heat and pressure and are, therefore inherently a risk and should be included in vessel procedures. In a recent Mars Report, such a procedure was lacking resulting in the death of a crew...Read more
Collision of frigate Helge Ingstad and tanker was a ‘symphony of errors’
The Nautical Institute discusses the collision between the Norwegian frigate Helge Ingstad and the tanker Sola TS in a recent Mars Report and calls it a ‘symphony of errors’. A lack of situational awareness, no...Read more