202415 : Monkey’s fist knocks on office window

A tanker was approaching a jetty for berthing. While still some distance from the jetty the first heaving line was thrown. The crewmember used a strong throw as he was aware that the distance to the jetty was at the limit. His throw was so successful that it sailed even further than the edge of the jetty and struck the office window further behind. The investigation following the incident found that the monkey’s fist was made to proper specifications without any extra weight added.

Lessons learned

• This incident shows that even an unweighted monkey’s fist that conforms to accepted specifications can be a serious projectile if thrown with force.
• As a general rule, monkey’s fists should never contain an internal extra weight. Their finished weight should be ideally under 0.5kg.