The Marine Accident Investigation Department (MAIB) has cited survey failings within the outcomes of its investigation into the lack of propulsion management and subsequent contact with a moored barge by Oceandiva London.
On June 22, 2023, the inland waterways passenger vessel misplaced propulsion management and contacted a moored hopper barge at Midway Attain on the River Thames, London. Oceandiva London was present process propulsion trials as a part of its Maritime and Coastguard Company (MCA) survey required for the difficulty of a Passenger Ship Security Certificates.
The impression injury to Oceandiva London included breaches to its hull plating above the waterline with deformation of decks and structural frames. There have been no passengers on board and not one of the six crew or 12 contractors had been injured.
Oceandiva London’s propulsion and electrical energy system was provided by a saved vitality system with two battery banks driving two electrical motors and a bow thruster. On the day of the accident the attending MCA surveyor’s requirement was to trial the facility and propulsion system beneath numerous working circumstances, together with in system failure mode.
The primary set of trials concerned depleting the batteries to confirm battery efficiency. The subsequent set of trials assessed maneuvering functionality of the vessel utilizing the bow thruster alone. The ultimate trials required Oceandiva London to have its propulsion set to full forward with one of many battery banks disconnected from the system. This trial was supposed to guage how the management system reacted to a sudden change in out there battery energy and was efficiently achieved on isolating the starboard battery financial institution.
When the process was repeated for the port battery financial institution energy was misplaced to the starboard propulsion motor however the port propulsion motor remained powered up however not beneath management, inflicting Oceandiva London to veer in direction of and speak to the moored barge.
The MAIB’s preliminary evaluation recognized that:
• Oceandiva London’s crew had inadequate data and expertise of the facility and propulsion programs to problem the surveyor’s plan for the trials; establish the creating scenario; or take efficient remedial motion when propulsion management was misplaced.
• The MCA surveyor had not mentioned intimately with the crew the necessities for the trials and anticipated outcomes.
• The surveyor’s necessities for the trial brought on the facility system to be operated outdoors of producer’s limitations.
• The MCA had not produced any steering for surveyors when assessing saved vitality propulsion programs.
The MAIB has written to the MCA expressing concern over the planning and conduct of surveys.
Source link
