Marine Survey: A Case of UK Freighter, Celtic Carrier
Instructions:-
Question 1
ISM CODE
Your Principal is a Company which has a vessel under detention at the Port of Rotterdam, Netherlands. Date of Detention: 10th March 2016.
You are sent to attend the vessel and assist in having the detention lifted. Upon arrival at the vessel you find that the detention is due to:
Deficiencies raised as Major Non-conformities (MNC) and Non-conformities (NC) against the ISM Code.
MNC 1 Against Section 6.2 – Crew Certification Goanese crewmembers were found on board holding only Indian Certification.
NC 1 Against Section 12.1 – Internal Safety Audits. No objective evidence could be found that non-conformities raised at last Internal Audit (26-02-2015) have been dealt with. 3 Select a recent marine system failure that has attracted your Interest. Collect information relating to the failure from different sources such as reports, statements, newspapers, magazines or journals. Include these sources with your answer.
A: 15% Name and draw a systems map to include all of the important components mentioned in the sources. Organise them into environmental factors, wider system factors and the system understudy.
B: 15% Draw a Sequential Fact Diagram (SFD) based on the sources and the system map. Remember to include only those items for which evidence exists.
C: 20% Write a short factual report based on your SFD3 Select a recent marine system failure that has attracted your Interest. Collect information relating to the failure from different sources such as reports, statements, newspapers, magazines or journals. Include these sources with your answer.
A: 15% Name and draw a systems map to include all of the important components mentioned in the sources. Organise them into environmental factors, wider system factors and the system understudy.
B: 15% Draw a Sequential Fact Diagram (SFD) based on the sources and the system map. Remember to include only those items for which evidence exists.
C: 20% Write a short factual report based on your SFD3 Select a recent marine system failure that has attracted your Interest. Collect information relating to the failure from different sources such as reports, statements, newspapers, magazines or journals. Include these sources with your answer.
A: 15% Name and draw a systems map to include all of the important components mentioned in the sources. Organise them into environmental factors, wider system factors and the system understudy.
B: 15% Draw a Sequential Fact Diagram (SFD) based on the sources and the system map. Remember to include only those items for which evidence exists.
C: 20% Write a short factual report based on your SFD3 Select a recent marine system failure that has attracted your Interest. Collect information relating to the failure from different sources such as reports, statements, newspapers, magazines or journals. Include these sources with your answer.
A: 15% Name and draw a systems map to include all of the important components mentioned in the sources. Organise them into environmental factors, wider system factors and the system understudy.
B: 15% Draw a Sequential Fact Diagram (SFD) based on the sources and the system map. Remember to include only those items for which evidence exists.
C: 20% Write a short factual report based on your SFD3 Select a recent marine system failure that has attracted your Interest. Collect information relating to the failure from different sources such as reports, statements, newspapers, magazines or journals. Include these sources with your answer.
A: 15% Name and draw a systems map to include all of the important components mentioned in the sources. Organise them into environmental factors, wider system factors and the system understudy.
B: 15% Draw a Sequential Fact Diagram (SFD) based on the sources and the system map. Remember to include only those items for which evidence exists.
C: 20% Write a short factual report based on your SFD
NC 2 Against Section 8.1 – Emergency Preparedness. The list of potential emergency shipboard situations and the programme for drills and exercises is not compatible.
Explain how you will carry out this work. In particular explain the key people you will be dealing with and what you will explain to your principals about the tasks that need to be done in order to have the vessel released by Port State Control.
Show a detailed format of a report for your principles using headings and bullet points only, explaining what they should do to avoid similar detentions happening again.
Background information
The vessel is flagged with Liberia
The vessel is classed under LR
The ISM Certification for both DOC and SMC are under DNV
The vessel type is a VLCC and built in 1995.
Vessel has been classed with LR since construction
ISM Certification has been with DNV throughout
DOC obtained 28th January 2011
SMC obtained 15th April 2012
NB In your answer please Note the following:-
Remember not to exceed the powers that you have.
Be aware of your position and how you handle the various parties involved.
Do not become involved in a conflict of interest.
QUESTION 2
3 Select a recent marine system failure that has attracted your Interest. Collect information relating to the failure from different sources such as reports, statements, newspapers, magazines or journals. Include these sources with your answer.
A: 15% Name and draw a systems map to include all of the important components mentioned in the sources. Organise them into environmental factors, wider system factors and the system understudy.
B: 15% Draw a Sequential Fact Diagram (SFD) based on the sources and the system map. Remember to include only those items for which evidence exists.
C: 20% Write a short factual report based on your SFD
Solution
Marine Survey: A Case of UK Freighter, Celtic Carrier
Question 1
On April 26th 2013, the Celtic Carrier, a British freighter, issued a distress call to the Spanish MRCC reporting a fire incidence in its three cabins. According to a report released in July 2014 by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch, a crew member who had intoxicated himself with alcohol lit a cigarette and left it burning in his arm as he slept on his bed. The cigarette fell on the adjacent sofa lighting it up. The crew member was later woken up by the thick smoke in the room and rushed to the cabin alerting the second officer. The second officer raised the fire alarm. The crew members cordially fought the fire but were not able to completely bring it under control until two Spanish navy vessels. The carrier was later towed to the port city of Cadiz and arrived on 27th April 2013. Marine industry is faced with incidences ranging from major accidents to near misses in their daily operations. As a result, vessels that are found not complying with the international safety management code should be investigated to encourage and maintain safety of the environment and the lives of the members of the crew. It is important to provide techniques that are flexible to allow the customization of the clients’ management systems while using marine vessels, the heath of the crew members, safety and the environmental programs.
According to the investigators into the Celtic Carriers fire incidence, the crew members on board on the fateful day were ill-prepared for emergency incidences that were likely to arise while on the vessels. Besides being ill prepared for any emergencies, there was lack of leadership among the crew members. In another report by Safety4sea, there were substandard firefighting techniques that led to the exposure of the crew members to danger. For example, allowing members of the crew to smoke in their rest rooms. It later emerged that the drill documents of the members of the crew had been falsified making the official emergency record to be nullified by the investigation teams.
According to Marchant Shipping Company in the UK, the carrier owner, Charles M. Willie and Shipping Company was aware of all the weaknesses in the safety management system. The company failed to address the weaknesses before sending its crew to the sea. However, failure by the company to address the weaknesses in the safety management system indicated that the company ignored both ashore and afloat regularities in the maritime sector. The investigation team also identified weaknesses in the coast guards who failed to identify the weaknesses in the safety management system before allowing the vessel to leave the Spanish coast. The following diagram (fig.1)is a replication of the Celtic Carrier’s aft section profile and (fig. 2) is a replication of the crew’s accommodation map. The aft section profile identifies the most important components that would have been considered while drilling the crew members on any emergencies that are likely to have risen while aboard the vessel.
Figure 1; aft section
Figure
2; crew’s accommodation map
The Investigation Report
According to the investigation reports, the crew cabin was furnished using materials from wood and foam covered with vinyl. This made it easy for the cigarette to light the cabin. Most of the wood furnishings and the furniture were completely destroyed in the fire. The electrical wall sockets in the cabin were destroyed in the fire leaving only the florescent light hanging from the roof of the room. The buckled cabin door was still intact although badly burned and the upper part of the door had melted as a result.
According to the investigation reports, the crew member fell asleep while holding a lit cigarette. The cigarette fell on the vinyl covering the foam on the sofa melting the seats beneath the cabin. There were no designated smoking areas on the vessel making the master to allow the crew members to smoke in their cabins. The foam on the sofa was not fire resistant making it easy to light and burn in heavy smoke that chocked the cabin member waking him up. The cabin port hole was left open providing the much needed oxygen for the fire to burn. Despite the immediate incidences that led to the ignition of the fire, there were plenty of other flammable material in the cabin at the time of the fire. This included; left over plastic containers which had no designated dumbing area and paper materials that were left unattended to in the cabin. Lack of firefighting skills made it had for the crew to control the fire. The crew were not conversant with the procedure to follow after a fire incidence and proceeded to ignite the vessel engines while electric cables were lying naked in the destroyed cabin. As a result, due to electric short circuiting, a second fire broke out making it hard to reignite the engines after the Spanish military had fully contained the fire.
Question 2
ISM Code
The ISM code refers to an international safety management standard that ensures a safe management of operations of all water vessels especially ships in a manner that minimizes pollution of the environment and safe management of water vessels. Netherlands registered ships with a gross tonnage of five hundred grams and above are deemed to be propelled by mechanical means and operate in deep sea international waters. As a result, it is expected that all other vessels and carriers with similar descriptions that dock on the shores of Netherlands should meet the same criteria. It is also assumed by the Netherlands maritime authority that all passenger ships that operate within the international waters are owned by companies and individuals who understand the international safety management code have agreed to its requirements.
Some of the main objectives of the ISM code as laid down by the Netherlands Maritime Authority is to ensure that the sea is safe for all the user ranging from the natural aquatic habitats to other users. The code aims at preventing injury, loss of life, environmental degradation, destruction of property, and provide safe environment for the practice of ship operation. The ISM safe guards all the identified and unidentified risks for vessels that are in the sea. At the same time, through continuous improvement of the management skills, the personnel managing the ashore and onboard ships are well prepared for any emergencies likely to occur on the shipment vessels.
Despite the registration of the vessel, it is required that the company conforms with the Netherlands maritime Authority requirements before the Netherlands Coastguard can release the ship. According to the International Safety Management Code which creates a basis for the Netherlands Maritime Authority to set its rules and regulations, any company that operates within the international waters that are controlled by the ISM code and Authority needs to have complied with the Authority and should be in possession of a certificate of compliance or an interim certification document. A copy of the certification shall at all times be placed on board of the ship. After verification of the compliance certificates, a safety management certificate will be issued to the company and the company crew can be allowed to operate the ship.
Having contravened major non-conformities act section 6.2, and the conformities act section 12.1, where the crew members’ certifications were restricted to the Indian waters and having no certifications or objective evidence to show that the previous safety audits have been corrected, the company’s management were required to;
- Develop and implement a safety and environment protection policy
- Provide a detailed definition of the procedures used during internal auditing and management reviews
- Provide a detailed definition of how the company prepares and responds to emergency situations
- Provide a detailed definition on how the crew members report accidents while on board or off board
- How the company reports any non-conformities with the ISM.
- The company shall also be required to provide all the instructions and procedures that ensure safe operation of the ships, how the company participates in the safeguarding of the marine environment and how the company has been complying with the relevant international state legislations.
References
SAFETY4SEA, (2014). UK MAIB issues investigation report of the fire on Celtic Carrier.
Retrieved from: http://www.safety4sea.com/uk-maib-issues-investigation-report-of-the-fire-on-celtic-carrier/.