Marine Safety Forum reports:
”Recently onboard a OSV in the northern North Sea two potential incidents could have resulted in major damage to equipment and/or personal injury, had it not been for the observations of the deck crew.
On each occasion after having sailed through rough seas and inclement weather the vessel arrived on location and on closer inspection of the cargo revealed excessive water in the base of the units. The Master informed the installation of the situation. The deck crew proceeded to free the drain holes in the first instance and in the second pumped out the water with onboard equipment.
The investigation found that:
The water originated from sea spray and rain
The unit was not fitted with a cover to limit the amount of water ingress
The drain holes of the unit were blocked with debris
The drain holes appeared to be of an insufficient size to effectively drain away large
volumes of water
Actions for Prevention
Open baskets / skips should be cleaned thoroughly between each load to ensure no excessive build up of debris can block the drain holes.
Onshore / offshore cargo loaders should ensure that the drain holes are clear of any small objects / debris prior to the unit being loaded with equipment as per industry guidelines.
Onshore / offshore cargo inspection personnel should ensure that any open top baskets / skips are free from water before being approved to ship or backloaded
Vessel crews to be aware that during inclement weather, open baskets / skips have the potential to fill with water and should be checked in accordance with best cargo handling practice and the installation informed.
