SSG No 10 - Shipgaz

SHIPSPOTTING.COM
Anchor Handling Tug Supply (AHTS) vessel the Bourbon Dolphin seen here entering Lervick on the Shetland Islands
last month, just before being deployed on anchor-handing duties northwest of Shetland when she capsized.
Anchor handling –
fraught with danger
When the anchor handling
tug supply (AHTS) vessel
Bourbon Dolphin
capsized and later sank,
85 nautical miles northwest
of Shetland last month, she was conducting
one of the most demanding and
inherently dangerous operations in the
marine service industry, anchor handling.
The stress of long hours, foul weather and
wires under strain are only some of the
more obvious hazards.
As the vessel sank in 1,100 metres of
water and probably never will be raised,
many questions will be left unanswered.
The first court enquiry, not unexpectedly,
gave only a few pointers as to why the vessel
capsized.
Commission appointed
A royal commission, recently appointed by
the Norwegian government, is headed up
by a judge, Mrs Inger Lyng, and will scrutinize
the events that led to the accident,
which cost eight people their lives. In the
brief to the commission it says that its
members shall investigate the coordination
between the vessel, Bourbon Dolphin, and
the rig, Transocean Rather, who’s anchor
the vessel was handling.
Furthermore the commission members
are asked to look into the ship’s operation,
construction and certification (DNV). And
finally, the commission will look to see if
anyone, individuals or companies, can be
held responsible.
Early days
At this early stage, it is impossible to know
exactly what led to the accident, but, as we
noted above, there are a few pointers. A
series of misunderstandings, mishaps and
bad luck seem to have caused the capsize.
It is far too easy to pre-judge in maritime
accidents. The first court enquiry heard evidence
from surviving crewmembers. It is
perhaps typical of the sequence of events
that the surviving first mate, Geir Syvertsen,
recalled that the master of the Bour-
bon Dolphin, seconds before the capsize
asked the assisting vessel, the AHTS Highland
Valour, whether she new the difference
between northwest and southeast.
The sarcastic remark fell after the Highland
Valour pulled the anchor chain in the
wrong direction.
Experts have also questioned whether or
not the Bourbon Dolphin was sufficiently
powerful for the job in hand to move the
rig’s 300-tonnes anchor and chain. But,
that is for the experts in the royal commission
to find out.
The anchor handling operation
In order for an AHTS vessel, like the Bourbon
Dolphin, to operate safely and efficiently,
certain procedures have to be followed.
Even so, every operation is different,
albeit with the same operational pattern.
All rigs are equipped with an anchor
chain to which is attached a chaser wire
with a chaser ring around the anchor chain.
When the AHTS backs up to the rig, the
rig’s crane will transfer chaser wire, which
in turn is fastened to the AHTS’s winch.
The vessel is now attached to the anchor
chain via the chaser wire and ring. The
SCANDINAVIAN SHIPPING GAZETTE • MAY 21, 2007 13