200334 Mooring Accident

Mooring Accident
Report No. 200334

During a difficult buoy mooring operation, one of the mooring winches slacked back under high load, the layers of ropes on the drum slacked back at great speed. The end of the rope hit the winch operator causing severe injuries, the 3rd officer also just missed being injured by the other rope.

The vessel was in the process of mooring to two buoys aft, having already dropped the port anchor. Two tugs were also in attendance, one tug was made fast aft through the centre "Panama Lead", the second was pushing on the port quarter. Weather conditions at the beginning of the mooring operation were fair, wind 10 knots on the port bow. However, during the mooring operation the wind shifted to the starboard quarter and continued with gusts reaching 16 knots.

The aft mooring party was composed of the 3rd officer in charge, one A/B and one O/S handling the ropes and a Fitter as winch operator. Towards the end of the mooring operations the helmsman usually reinforced this party.

This particular mooring operation required all four aft ropes to be paid out to the mooring buoys and then to be heaved up. As the distance between the stern and the buoys on completion of operation was to be 160-170m, it required almost all the length of the 200 metre long ropes, especially when the vessel's stern was swinging.

The Fitter, being the winch operator, was ordered by the 3rd officer to stop paying out the starboard ropes, as there was only one layer of rope left on the winch drum. Whilst trying to comply with that instruction, the fitter approached one winch brake whilst the 3rd Officer approached the other winch brake to close it off. The winch at that time was still engaged in gear. Within that split second the winch paid back on high pressure overload and the small diameter rope securing the mooring rope to the winch parted, this allowed the mooring rope to uncoil with such force that it caused severe injuries to the Fitter. Seconds later, the second rope drum also released on high-pressure overload and the rope just missed the 3rd Officer by a few centimetres.

Please be aware of the following:

1. The Officer in charge of the mooring operation must be in control of all activities under his supervision, including monitoring the ship's movement and the condition of the ropes and winches. The Officer in charge should refrain from any physical assistance as this can cause distractions. His role is to control and manage the personnel of his mooring party.
2. Every hydraulic winch has a safety relief valve which will lift should the set pressure be exceeded.
3. Too many activities undertaken at one time will distract attention.
4. Proper communication between the bridge and the mooring station is vital.
5. The Mooring Plan should always be discussed with the Pilot and all officers should be briefed before the operation. Such briefings are to be recorded in the Deck Log Book.
6. All personnel taking part in any mooring operation should receive formal training before they are allowed to participate. This is to be included in the Familiarisation Checklist.