MAIB contracts with BMT Ship & Coastal Dynamics for their REMBRANDT simulator

REMBRANDT simulator will aid the MAIB in future investigations
REMBRANDT simulator will aid the MAIB in future investigations

BMT Ship & Coastal Dynamics (BMT), a subsidiary of BMT Group Ltd, has announced a new contract with the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), acknowledged as a world leader in ship electronic evidence gathering, including VDR data recovery and interpretation. BMT has installed its industry leading marine navigation and manoeuvring REMBRANDT simulator and will provide ongoing specialised training, to allow MAIB personnel to benefit from its unique attributes.

Richard North, Technical Manager at MAIB comments: “REMBRANDT simulator is a well-regarded and trusted solution, widely used by a broad spectrum of stakeholders including pilot organisations, shipping companies on-board and ashore, naval architects, civil marine engineers and port authorities, therefore it was a natural choice for us. A key and unique attribute of REMBRANDT is its ability to automatically input a broad range of VDR data including 3D, Radar and bridge audio to deliver a more enhanced and accurate visual Continue reading “MAIB contracts with BMT Ship & Coastal Dynamics for their REMBRANDT simulator”

MAIB releases a Safety Digest featuring 25 case studies and recommendations

Upturned hull of the Cemfjord
Upturned hull of the Cemfjord

The UK MAIB has released a seventy page document, which is free to read regarding twenty five cases it has investigated in recent times.

This Safety Digest draws the attention of the marine community to some of the lessons arising from investigations into recent accidents and incidents. It contains information which has been determined up to the time of issue.

The sole purpose of the Safety Digest is to prevent similar accidents happening again. The content must necessarily be regarded as tentative and subject to alteration or Continue reading “MAIB releases a Safety Digest featuring 25 case studies and recommendations”

Consultation open on a new MGN – Marine Casualty and Marine Incident Reporting to the MAIB

The MAIB would like to consult on a new Marine Guidance Note to replace MGN 458. This note describes the process and the information required for reporting marine casualties and marine incidents to the MAIB.

MAIB would welcome your comments on the proposed MGN which should be forwarded by email to Helen Johnston. This consultation will be open for 30 days and will close on Wednesday 19th April 2017.

This consultation and the comments received will be posted on the consultations page of Gov.uk.

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Lack of Peggotty’s seaworthiness revealed in MAIB report after she collided with Petunia Seaways

At 0450 (UTC+11) on 19 May 2016 the Danish registered ro-ro freight ferry Petunia Seaways and the historic motor launch Peggotty collided on the River Humber while in dense fog. As a result of the collision the motor launch suffered severe structural damage and began to take on water. The crew of a local pilot launch responded to Peggotty’s skipper’s VHF2 “Mayday” call and were able to reach the motor launch and rescue the skipper and the one other person on board before it sank. There were no injuries and no significant pollution.

Petunia Seaways’ bridge team remained unaware that the two vessels had collided until after they had left the river, when they were informed by VTS Humber.

Continue reading “Lack of Peggotty’s seaworthiness revealed in MAIB report after she collided with Petunia Seaways”

MAIB releases its report into the loss of life onboard Joanna C during cargo operations

Photograph of the vessel Johanna C taken by Marc Piché, shipspotting.com
Photograph of the vessel Johanna C taken by Marc Piché, shipspotting.com

On 11 May 2016, the chief officer on board the UK registered general cargo ship Johanna C fell from a large steel cargo unit that was being repositioned in the vessel’s forward hold. The chief officer was moved ashore and taken to a local hospital by ambulance, but he died shortly after arrival.

The investigation identified that:
• It was inherently unsafe and unnecessary for the chief officer to stand on top of the cargo while it was being lifted; the risks of standing on a load under tension were not recognised.
• The chief officer lost his balance and fell onto the deck following the sudden and unexpected movement of the cargo and/or its lifting slings as the cargo was lifted.
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MAIB starts assessment of a carbon monoxide poisoning fatality in Cardiff

vasquez_web_imageMAIB is conducting a preliminary assessment of a fatal accident that occurred on a privately owned cabin cruiser at Cardiff Yacht Club on Saturday 12 November 2016. Shortly after midday the boat’s owner was found collapsed on the boat and despite the efforts of fellow club members and emergency services he did not regain consciousness.

At the time of the accident the boat was secured to a club pontoon. The inboard petrol engine was running and the canvas cockpit canopy was fully closed except for one zip that was undone.

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MAIB report into the grounding and capsize of berthed trawler Saint Christophe 1

On 9 March 2016, three French fishing vessels sought shelter from bad weather in Dartmouth harbour, on the south-west coast of England. One of the vessels, Saint Christophe 1, was directed to berth alongside a quay wall and when the tide went out it grounded and capsized alongside. Saint Christophe 1 subsequently flooded and sank with the incoming tide, and was declared a constructive total loss.

Safety issues
The lack of effective communication between harbour authority staff and vessel’s crew failed to ensure a common understanding of the fact that the boat would ground at low water
The assumption that the crew understood the information provided by the harbour staff, prevented further safety checks from being made
Continue reading “MAIB report into the grounding and capsize of berthed trawler Saint Christophe 1”

UK MAIB issues its second Safety Digest of 2016

The UK MAIB has announced the publication of the second issue for 2016 of its Safety Digest which includes lessons learned from maritime accidents. This latest edition of the Safety Digest contains 25 articles which are examples of poor risk awareness demonstrated by the crews of vessels from the merchant, fishing and recreational sectors.

Steve Clinch, Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents states:
“The procedures and safe working systems that lie at the core of all safety management systems are there for a reason – invariably mariners have been hurt, ships and/or their cargoes have been damaged or lost, or the environment harmed. MAIB investigations into marine accidents consistently identify cases where mariners chose to ignore the instructions and guidance contained in companies’ safety management systems.“

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MAIB issues its report into the Arco Avon engine room fire

Photograph of Arco Avon at anchor
Photograph of Arco Avon at anchor

This reports the MAIB’s investigation into a fire in the engine room of the dredger Arco Avon while the vessel was loading a sand cargo approximately 12 miles off Great Yarmouth, UK. The fire claimed the life of the vessel’s third engineer, who was attempting to repair a failed fuel pipe when fuel, under pressure in the pipe, ignited.

Statement from the Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents
The sad death of an experienced officer serving on a UK registered ship serves as a salient reminder of the risks that crews can be exposed to when policies and procedures designed to mitigate such risks are not followed, and recognised safe systems of work are allowed to lapse. Robust risk assessments and safe systems of work are important barriers that prevent marine accidents. Everyone, from the individual seafarer to the senior company executive ashore, needs to develop shared company safety cultures that make the use of risk assessments and safe systems of work an unquestioned part of life when working on board UK registered vessels.

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MAIB safety bulletin published for the Love for Lydia carbon monoxide poisoning incident

Photograph of the Love for Lydia alongside a marina after the accident showing the canopy as found
Photograph of the Love for Lydia alongside a marina after the accident showing the canopy as found

The MAIB has published a safety bulletin after the carbon monoxide poisoning on board the Doral 250 SE motor cruiser Love for Lydia at Wroxham on the Norfolk Broads between 6 and 9 June 2016 resulted in 2 fatalities.

The safety bulletin highlights the dangers of carbon monoxide on boats and calls for people to fit carbon monoxide alarms, similar to those used in caravans and homes.

MAIB Chief Inspector Steve Clinch said:

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UK MAIB publishes its Annual Report for 2015

maibThe Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has published its Annual Report highlighting the work of the branch during 2015. In 2015, a total of 1,057 accidents to UK vessels, or in UK coastal waters were reported to MAIB, involving 1,194 vessels.

Of these accidents, 46 involved only non-commercial vessels and 447 were occupational accidents that did not involve any actual or potential casualty to a vessel. There were 646 accidents involving 744 commercial vessels that involved actual or potential casualties to vessels.

For the sixth year in succession no UK merchant vessels of >100gt were lost. The size of the UK fleet has increased and so the overall accident rate for UK merchant vessels >100gt has fallen to 85 per 1000 vessels from 88 per 1000 vessels in 2014. Two crew lost their lives on UK merchant vessels >100gt during 2015. Only one UK small vessel (<100gt) was lost in 2015 compared with six in 2014.

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Report on the sinking of the scallop dredger JMT published by the MAIB

The report on the sinking of the scallop dredger JMT has been published
The report on the sinking of the scallop dredger JMT has been published

The MAIB has issued its report into the capsizing and sinking of the scallop dredger JMT in 2015. The report will be of particular interest to surveyors given that the incident raises issues around the effect modifications made potentially had on the stability of the craft.

During the afternoon of 9 July 2015, routine contact was lost with the skipper and crewman on board the 11.4m scallop dredger JMT that was fishing off Plymouth, UK. A search and rescue operation was initiated the following morning when the vessel did not return alongside as expected.

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