SECTION 4 - Marine Accident Investigation Branch

Lifeboat 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Original
capacity
Final
capacity
70 90 90 90 120 120 120 120 44 44
70 63 63 62 107 107 106 103 40 44
Table 1: Lifeboat passenger-carrying capacity
On 14 March 2012 a Statement of Fitness was issued for each of the lifeboats by RC
Hydraulics-und Industrieservice GmbH, the contractor who carried out the remedial
work. After successful manoeuvring trials had been carried out, the starboard
lifeboats were finally hoisted on board, using their davits, on 15 March. The port side
lifeboats were placed on board using dockyard cranes, the same day.
1.13.2 Bowsing tackle defects identified in Palermo
1.13.3 Trials
None of the officers on board had previously operated the davits, lifeboats and their
associated equipment as a composite unit. In preparation for the lifeboats' final
lowering and hoisting functional test, which was to be witnessed by a GL surveyor,
the bowsing tackles were rigged on the lifeboats. However, some of the ropes
were very difficult to tension and slacken. Those of No 5 tender jammed tightly
under the cap of the securing bitts and could not be released. The SO, chief officer
and second officers were in attendance and notified the master of the issue. On
inspection, it was found that the ropes, which had been left with the vessel by her
previous operators, were too large. Examination of the other bowsing tackle ropes
found that many were also very tight in their respective blocks. The master agreed
with the deck officers that the ropes were to be changed to the correct size. While
it is believed that one of the deck officers mentioned this to the second bosun, no
one in authority checked that the work had been completed and some of the ropes,
including those for No 5 tender, were not changed.
Depending on their individual availability, up to three GL surveyors witnessed the
lifeboat manoeuvring trials. They had also regularly witnessed the operation of all
the davits during post-defect rectification work load trials. On 15 March, surveyors
also formally witnessed the lifeboats being lowered and hoisted when ‘on load’
release hook trials were conducted. It is unclear whether the bowsing tackles were
fully rigged at this time, although their general satisfactory condition was noted.
The lifeboats were not released from the falls because this had been witnessed
previously.
1.14 FLAG STATE INSPECTIONS
The Flag State Inspections (FSI) on 17 March, were carried out in Palermo by
an Italian marine surveyor on behalf of the Maltese administration. Section 15 –
Life-Saving Appliances of the 13 March FSI Report identified that an assessment of
the lifeboats and their equipment was not possible because the lifeboats were still
undergoing repairs.
33