Injuries or incidents that may have caused injury while mooring, working cargo, or operating tools, machinery, rigging or lifting gear on deck.
A crew member, the bosun, fell through an unguarded opening on World Prize while rigging the pilot ladder. Lessons on fall protection and normalised risk.
A dredge of over 500 lb (227 kg) fell on two deckhands when an unrated lifting point broke on 25 TO LIFE, killing one. Lessons on lifting.
Operational Briefing: Lessons from the Amadeus Incident What Happened: On 13 December 2023, at approximately 00:09 hrs, the UK registered crab potting vessel Amadeus experienced a very serious marine casualty in the German Bight, North Sea, approximately 58 nautical miles north-west of Heligoland, Germany. A deckhand tragically fell overboard while engaged in the routine task…
Hidden Hazards in Plain Sight: Preventing Injuries on Vessel Exterior Stairs – MSF 26-04 Hazards of Vessels External Stairs. What Happened The specific vessel name and type were withheld in the safety report, but the incident occurred aboard a Marine Safety Forum (MSF) member vessel during standard daily activities. A crew member was using the…
Fatal Electrocution Aboard Bulk Carrier Sophia Z: Urgent Call to Inspect Portable Electrical Gear | Bahamas Maritime Authority Report. What Happened On August 30, 2024, the bulk carrier Sophia Z was underway in the Indian Ocean. A 48-year-old bosun was assigned to check the rubber packing on weathertight doors in the forecastle store. Shortly after…
Tragic Fall: The Hidden Dangers of Inadequate Safety Barriers | Republic of the Marshall Islands – International registries Inc. | Green Future Investigation Report What Happened: On 20 August 2024, the cargo ship GREEN FUTURE was drifting, preparing for new cargo. The crew was washing Cargo Hold No. 2. To access the lower hold, a…
Crane Wire Failure: A $3.8 Million Warning on Internal Wire Corrosion | NTSB Report MIR-26-11 What Happened: On April 3, 2025, the offshore construction vessel Island Venture was using its subsea crane to lift a 338-metric-ton wire reel off the main deck of the offshore supply vessel C-Enforcer. As the load was hoisted, the crane’s…
Hidden Hazard: Securing Fixed Tank Washing Machines: Marine Safety Forum Alert – MSF: 26-05 – “Fixed Tank Washing Potential Dropped Object” What Happened: On a Platform Supply Vessel (PSV) equipped with fixed tank washing machines, a tank cleaning team discovered a serious safety hazard. The team found a 10 kg ‘washing machine’ lying on the…
Safety Briefing: Severe Crush Injury from Unstable Steel Plates – IMCA SF 09/26 What Happened: Onboard an offshore support vessel (OSV), a crew member suffered severe crush injuries while manually handling heavy materials. The worker was using their left hand to balance several steel plates in an upright, vertical position. Suddenly, one of the heavy…
TSB Canada: Marine transportation safety investigation report M23C0305 – Incident in Frobisher Bay What Happened: The cargo vessel Sivumut, operating in the challenging waters of Frobisher Bay, Nunavut, experienced a critical incident involving a person overboard and the subsequent loss of cargo. This dual event highlights the inherent risks associated with maritime operations in remote…
