Equipment
Mooring Lines
Lines used to secure vessels, including tensioned mooring systems.
Newest 100 Documents
All 145 in search- 202628 Apr
Heaving line snap-back causes injury
A tensioned heaving line broke during berthing, causing quayside workers to fall. One suffered a head impact after an unsecured helmet chin strap allowed the helmet to shift. The flash identifies missing inspections, congestion and inadequate supervision, and recommends line checks, safer positioning and stopping unsafe work.
- 202613 Feb
Fall from height during mooring due to rope tension reaction
A tanker’s propeller caught a mooring rope, loading a jetty dolphin platform until the line parted. The platform recoiled and a kneeling worker fell onto a lower platform about 1.8 metres below, sustaining minor scratches. The flash examines barrier design, body positioning, communication and keeping clear of tensioned lines.
- 2025Dec
CHIRP Superyacht FEEDBACK 8 (December 2025)
Superyacht incident reports examine a failed mooring attachment, captain harassment, generator starter battery explosions, collision at anchor, unsafe pilot boarding arrangements, unprotected work aloft and defective life rafts. Commentary discusses battery capacity and ventilation, engineering handovers, equipment servicing and testing, reporting concerns and organisational safety culture.
- 20252 Oct
Positive: Worn mooring lines spotted and replaced before they parted
Hourly inspections aboard a vessel alongside during strong winds identified a mooring rope close to breaking. The crew replaced it and placed wooden boards beneath ropes rubbing against a bridge structure. The flash highlights vigilance during adverse weather and proposes jetty protection to reduce rope friction.
- 20254 Sep
Two hand injuries caused during mooring
Two mooring incidents involved a hand trapped by a tightening line during rough weather and a finger crushed between a rope and handrail, requiring amputation. Lessons address dedicated fender mooring points, task risk assessment, supervisory roles, stopping unsafe work and considering postponement when weather causes vessel movement.
- 2025Jul
CHIRP Superyacht FEEDBACK 10
Six superyacht reports examine dismissed safety concerns, inconsistent fall protection, unsafe pilot boarding, crew abandonment, a mooring-line injury and chemical burns. Commentary addresses leadership, reporting protection, procedural compliance and task risk assessment. An appended flag-state flyer reinforces safe working at height, equipment training and intervention in unsafe work.
- 20254 Jun
MAIB: LTI – fingers lost during mooring operations
A crew member suffered severe finger injuries while resecuring a tender’s mooring rope during a river transfer. Unequal freeboards produced a steep rope angle, and passing-boat wash moved the tender. The flash highlights entrapment risks and conditional assessment of cleat design and fitting for routine operations.
- 20256 Feb
MAIB: Parted mooring rope leads to fatality
A deck officer suffered fatal head injuries when a mooring line parted during strong winds alongside a container vessel. Released tension lifted a bight aboard, rather than snapping the rope end onto the forecastle. The flash discusses snap-back zones, possible arrestors and a campaign encouraging crew to challenge unsafe positioning.
- 2025
CHIRP Maritime FEEDBACK 80 (Autumn 2025)
This maritime incident digest examines unsafe pilot transfers, an obstructed escape hatch, incorrect antenna labelling, pest infestation and unsafe fumigation, an unmanned survey vessel capsize, and an enclosed-space inspection injury. Commentary emphasises practical design validation, operational limits, crew welfare and confirmed communication between teams.
- 2025
MAIB Safety Digest 1/2025
A marine safety digest examining merchant, fishing and recreational vessel casualties, including collisions, groundings, fires, capsizes and people entering the water. Case lessons address navigation, mooring, towage, maintenance and emergency preparedness, with detailed discussion of flotation-device entanglement, battery charging, fuel hoses and vessel modifications. Reproduced bulletins and flyers provide further incident-specific learning.
- 202421 Nov
Mooring deck accident on bulk carrier Mona Manx with loss of 1 life
Investigation into a fatal mooring accident aboard Mona Manx at Puerto Ventanas, Chile. An entrapped spring line released under tension during an engine-powered astern manoeuvre and recoiled upwards, striking the second officer. The report examines procedural gaps, omitted entrapment risks, safe positioning and communication, and records subsequent safety actions.
- 20244 Sep
MODU mooring line failure
This safety flash describes failure of one of eight mooring lines securing a MODU during drilling. The unit moved approximately 12 m and tilted 2–3 degrees before thrusters and ballasting restored its position. The account refers to Marine Safety Forum Safety Flash 12-31.
- 202413 Jun
Collision between fishing vessel Kirkella and pusher tug Shovette
Investigation of Kirkella’s collision with Shovette in Hull following propulsion control transfer with mismatched pitch levers. The tug partially sank and released about 7,000 litres of diesel. The report examines control interfaces, absent interlocks, handover procedures and safety management, recording interim checks and requested system modifications.
- 20243 Jun
UK MAIB: Leg injury while mooring
This safety flash recounts a leg injury during unmooring when a messenger line snagged and wound onto a winch drum, tightening around a worker’s leg. It highlights excessive line length and restricted operator visibility, with lessons on keeping clear of moving machinery and maintaining sight and communication during remote operation.
- 202430 Apr
Trapped finger during mooring operations
A deckhand trapped his right-hand fingers while placing a spliced mooring line over bitts. Insufficient slack and forward vessel movement were identified as immediate causes. The flash discusses familiarisation, supervision, risk assessment and impact gloves, alongside line-handling alternatives and stopping the vessel where practicable.
- 202430 Apr
UK MAIB: Crew member injured by rotating crank handle – LTI
A tug crew member suffered a fractured wrist when a coupling winch’s attached crank handle spun as tensioned barge lines were released. The flash examines failure to remove the handle under the operating procedure, restricted supervisory visibility, dynamic risk assessment and toolbox talks, noting that CCTV could help.
- 20248 Apr
MODU Unlatched from Well
A moored semi-submersible drilling unit without dynamic positioning assist disconnected from its well and moved towards survival draft as storm conditions increased. Over three days, it lost four of eight mooring lines and drifted approximately 800 metres. Non-essential personnel were removed after the fourth line was lost.
- 2024
CHIRP Annual Digest 2024
This annual compilation brings together anonymised maritime incident reports and commentary on crew welfare, vessel design, engineering, deck work and navigation. Cases examine enclosed-space entry, mooring injuries, pilot ladders, machinery hazards and groundings. Discussion emphasises leadership, communication, work permits, training and lessons for conventional and autonomous vessel operations.
- 2024
CHIRP Maritime FEEDBACK 75 (Summer 2024)
Confidential maritime reports examine commercial pressure over damaged anchors, laundry and cargo fires, machinery and mooring hand injuries, inadequate provisions and a grounding. Commentary addresses escalation of concerns, bridge coordination, laundry practices, dangerous-goods stowage, machinery isolation and guarding, and keeping hands clear during mooring.
- 2024
MAIB Safety Digest 2/2024
A collection of marine accident accounts and preventive lessons spanning merchant shipping, commercial fishing and recreational boating. Cases examine steering and propulsion failures, mooring injuries, grounding, fire, flooding and capsize. Lessons address maintenance, navigation, risk assessment, equipment interfaces, watertight integrity and emergency evacuation, alongside reproduced safety bulletins and flyers.
- 20233 Oct
LTI – worker fractured arm during mooring line handling
A crew member suffered a fractured left forearm when a mooring rope struck them during barge unmooring preparations. A tripped winch message was misunderstood as an all-stop signal, prompting additional coiling on a bollard while the barge moved. Lessons emphasise clear communications and further mooring and line-of-fire training.
- 20233 Oct
Serious hand injury during mooring operations
A dock worker sustained a serious hand injury while removing a mooring rope from a bollard during vessel departure preparations. The flash describes insufficient slack, rising tension at the winch and absent messenger or tail lines. It highlights inadequate planning and risk assessment, hand positioning and readiness to stop unsafe work.
- 202315 Aug
CHIRP: Crew vigilance prevents mooring incident
A CHIRP event describes abrasion between mooring lines on a bulk carrier moving alongside a wharf in swell. Crew monitoring identified damage, and communication supported replacement and re-routing before the lines parted. The flash highlights teamwork and the importance of mooring fitting design and directional leads in limiting abrasion.
- 202314 Aug
MODU mooring systems in cyclonic conditions information paper
This information paper examines cyclonic mooring risks for mobile offshore drilling units. It discusses site-specific design return periods, met-ocean and seabed inputs, component degradation, installation assurance and change management. Operational guidance covers line-tension management, inspection performance standards, emergency preparedness and consideration of position monitoring during cyclone evacuation.
- 2023May
Risk to offshore installation mooring lines outside 500m safety zone
This safety notice addresses trawling and navigation risks to floating offshore installation moorings beyond 500 m safety zones. It describes collisions and fishing-gear snagging despite warnings, and calls for clear information on mooring spreads and conditional snagging hazards, alongside review of collision risk management and emergency response arrangements.
- 20234 Apr
LTI finger injury during mooring operations
An able seaman broke his left index finger while unmooring after ship-to-ship refuelling, losing 45 days of work. The flash identifies poor glove condition, insufficient rope slack, absent rope extensions and inadequate oversight of inexperienced personnel. Lessons address supervision, rope extensions and sufficient slack during handling.
- 2023
CHIRP Annual Digest 2023
An annual compilation of confidential maritime incident reports and analytical articles covering shipping, commercial fishing, ports and superyachts. Case commentaries examine navigation, mooring, lifting, equipment failures and enclosed-space entry. Wider discussions address safety culture, communication, seafarer wellbeing and fatigue, including an indicative watchkeeper fatigue assessment tool.
- 2023
CHIRP Maritime FEEDBACK 72 (Autumn 2023)
This maritime digest examines an averted mooring-line failure, a lithium-ion battery cargo fire, contractor fatigue, a diver’s propeller injury, tanker engine-control difficulties and a fisher’s overboard rescue. It discusses mooring design, dangerous-goods packing, rest arrangements, diver visibility, emergency teamwork and personal rescue equipment, alongside two improper cargo-stowage reports.
- 2023
CHIRP Ports and Harbours Feedback summer 2023
This inaugural ports and harbours digest analyses five reports involving a quayside ladder fall, failed moorings and collisions, ferry traffic conflict, a trapped mooring launch and container-ship grounding. Commentary examines safe access, casualty recovery, bollard capacity, wind loading, navigation aids and communication between port authorities, pilots and vessel crews.
- 2023
CHIRP Superyacht FEEDBACK 4 (Autumn 2023)
This superyacht digest analyses an allergic reaction, faulty gangway installation, a dive-vessel capsize, berth-departure contact, mooring injuries and grounding followed by dismissal of a reporting watchkeeper. Commentary examines equipment certification, stability testing, medical preparedness, line-handling teamwork, passage planning and constructive challenges to unsafe decisions.
- 2022Dec
CHIRP Maritime FEEDBACK 69
This maritime digest examines unsafe pilot boarding arrangements, helm execution, substandard ship conditions, collision avoidance, a crushed mooring launch and yacht grounding. Commentary emphasises closed-loop communication, challenging unsafe directions and port coordination. A separate article explores links between fishing crews’ working conditions, labour exploitation and safety.
- 202216 Nov
Semi-submersible Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU) Unlatched From Well in Progress
A semi-submersible drilling unit was disconnected from its well and at a survival location during a storm when two mooring wires failed. Released fairleads punctured the hull and subsequently collided, sustaining significant damage. The identified primary wire failure mechanism was high-load, low-cycle bending fatigue.
- 20228 Nov
Failure of moorings during heavy weather
A drill ship preparing for lay-up broke its moorings in storm-force winds and drifted until a pre-deployed anchor held. The flash identifies delayed thruster availability, failure to request tug assistance and planning shortcomings. Recommendations address timely thruster starting, improved mooring plans, emergency response and lay-up procedures.
- 20228 Nov
MAIB: mv Teal Bay mooring fatality
This flash summarises MAIB findings on a fatal mooring-line strike aboard Teal Bay during ship-to-ship grain loading. It examines open fairlead containment, increasing lead angles, insufficient crewing and planning, and delayed medical response. Actions include crew training and planned replacement of open fairleads; remote investigation constrained available evidence.
- 202224 Oct
Serious injury during mooring operations: rope parted
A tensioned mooring line parted during a chemical tanker’s mooring operation in Malta, striking the third officer and causing serious facial injuries. Testing found substantial loss of rope strength. The flash describes configuration and communication concerns, alongside revised risk assessments, training, residual-strength testing, rope lifetime limits and snapback-arrestor technology.
- 202214 Jul
Mooring deck accident on general cargo vessel Teal Bay with loss of 1 life
Investigation of a fatal mooring deck accident aboard Teal Bay during ship-to-ship grain loading at Kavkaz South anchorage. A tensioned spring line escaped an open roller fairlead during warping. The report examines upward line leads, shared fairlead use, insufficient crewing, planning and risk assessment, and delays in coordinating medical evacuation.
- 20224 Jul
American P&I Club: Extreme bollard pull
A container vessel’s four bow lines overloaded a single dock bollard through their self-tensioning winches after crane obstruction prompted a departure from normal mooring practice. The bollard failed, but spring lines limited vessel movement and nobody was injured. The flash highlights bollard capacity checks and assessment of changed mooring arrangements.
- 20224 Jul
Lost Time Injuries due to a failed mooring line
A stern-to-quayside mooring line failure injured two crew members through snapback, resulting in lost time injuries. The flash discusses rope friction, shortened line length, mooring routing and gaps in risk assessment. Lessons address improved camera monitoring, line protection and conditional routing changes to avoid snapback exposure on the working deck.
- 20225 May
Person overboard from motor cruiser Diamond Emblem 1 with loss of 1 life
Investigates a fatal overboard accident involving a self-drive hire cruiser on the River Bure. Embankment impact threw a passenger into the water, where rope and propeller entanglement caused injuries and drowning. Analysis examines dual-helm controls, labelling, stern protection, handover competence, risk assessment and regulatory oversight.
- 20221 Apr
Mooring near miss: Guide roller pin suffered material failure
A vessel’s deck stand guide roller pin failed during mooring and struck a heater, without injury. Investigation identified degradation, inadequate inspection and a complicated line arrangement that increased axial forces and overloaded structures. Lessons address suitable mooring arrangements, avoiding multiple turns, toolbox discussions and three-yearly roller dismantling and overhaul.
- 20212 Dec
UHMPE pull-in rope damaged during mooring connection to buoy
During a subsea buoy mooring connection, a UHMPE pull-in rope escaped ROV control, damaging its arm, while the rope’s other end entered a propeller and was cut. The flash identifies current, propulsion wash, insufficient catenary monitoring and underestimated deck friction, and records amendments to the installation procedure and task plan.
- 202115 Oct
Line of fire near miss – almost a head injury
During cable trans-spooling between a vessel and barge, a tensioned messenger rope climbed out of a chute and struck a crew member’s helmet. A similar near miss followed three weeks later. Lessons address differing spooling speeds, cable tension, communication, change assessment, stopping work and enclosing chutes.
- 20216 May
Swedish Club: Lessons learned – crew member loses leg in mooring injury
A crew member lost a leg after becoming trapped between a rapidly paying-out mooring line and a fairlead. The lines sank and caught in the propeller. The flash examines how a bight around a bollard expanded the snapback zone and highlights the need to reassess mooring risks for each operation.
- 202127 Apr
Only a centimetre – an emergency exit hatch blocked by mooring ropes
A daily inspection aboard a vessel alongside in port identified an engine-room escape hatch obstructed by mooring ropes on bitts. The flash attributes the condition to design oversight and earlier inspections failing to detect it, and calls for emergency exits to remain unobstructed, illuminated and maintained.
- 202116 Apr
Mooring: Increase in first aid cases involving over-exertion
This safety flash reports several recent over-exertion accidents, mostly during mooring and heavy-line handling. It identifies excessive loads, improper handling and awkward posture as causes. Actions include stretching before strenuous work, considering movements, inspecting dock areas, keeping lines clear and checking dock and vessel condition before manoeuvres.
- 2021Apr
MAIB Safety Digest 1/2021
A marine accident digest presenting separate lessons for merchant shipping, fishing vessels and recreational craft. Cases examine unsafe access, lifting gear, engine fires, navigation, capsize and flooding. Discussions address risk assessment, supervision, casualty recovery, mooring checks and navigation aids. Appendix coverage dates refer specifically to investigations started, rather than incident dates.
- 20214 Mar
Three man overboard fatalities
This safety flash summarises two bulk-carrier incidents involving three fatalities. Waves washed two crew members overboard while they secured mooring ropes; a bosun drowned while rigging a combination pilot ladder in darkness. It highlights absent lifejackets and securing arrangements, an unsuccessful search, and stopping work when in doubt.
- 202123 Feb
Inappropriate use of pneumatic line thrower for mooring line
A vessel’s crew used a pneumatic line thrower during mooring after difficulty getting a heaving line ashore. Two projectiles disappeared and a warehouse window was broken approximately 100 metres from the vessel. The flash identifies shortcomings in instructions, risk assessment and communication, and emphasises managing changed plans, toolbox talks and stopping unsafe work.
- 202119 Jan
Dutch Safety Board: Fatality when mooring line snapped
This safety flash summarises a fatal mooring-line recoil aboard RN Privodino while entering a lock. It examines transfer between winch drums while the vessel was moving, communication failures and restricted supervision. Lessons address vessel positioning before tensioning lines, supervisors’ workload and changing snap-back danger areas.
- 2021
CHIRP Annual Digest 2021
This annual maritime digest combines confidential incident reports with specialist insights into human performance and seafarer wellbeing. Cases examine pilot boarding, mooring, propulsion failures, fires and maintenance. Commentary discusses fatigue management, risk assessment and communication, alongside trauma-informed interviewing and confidential reporting arrangements.
- 2021
MAIB Safety Digest 2/2021
A collection of merchant, fishing and recreational vessel cases examines navigation errors, mooring hazards, machinery fires, flooding and immersion. Lessons address task planning, supervision, maintenance, enclosed-space precautions and emergency readiness. Appendices list investigations and reports and reproduce provisional guidance on anchor failures during prolonged cruise-ship anchoring.
- 20209 Oct
Positive: Parted mooring lines spotted before damage could occur
Crew working on a barge noticed another barge’s unusual position at an anchorage and suspected a parted mooring line. A company tug confirmed the damage and the line was replaced. Follow-up actions recognised the crew’s responsibility and arranged regular checks of laid-up barges, particularly before forecast high winds.
- 202020 May
Man overboard from dredger Cherry Sand with loss of 1 life
These annexes bring together maritime medical fitness standards, UK Dredging transfer risk assessments, Cherry Sand’s mooring instructions and a new-joiner induction form. They address eyesight testing, physical capability, boarding unmoored vessels, mooring-line handling and winch operation, with requirements for bridge permission, briefings and protective equipment.
- 202028 Apr
Vessel gangway rolled off platform tower and fell to the quayside in high wind
A vessel in port moved away from the quay during gusts exceeding 50 knots, causing its gangway to roll off a tower platform and fall approximately 5.2 m. Nobody was harmed. The flash examines mooring stretch, unrecognised falling-load risk and access design, and recommends reviewing weather reports and access risk assessments.
- 202020 Feb
Collision between ro-ro passenger ferry Red Falcon and moored yacht Greylag
These annexes assemble ferry navigation risk assessments, a chief officer training form and Cowes Harbour directions. They address restricted visibility, collision and grounding risks, tidal manoeuvring, radar and ECDIS use, bridge communications and competence assessment, alongside precautions for vessels rafted at Shepards Marina.
- 20196 Dec
Unsafe boarding during unmooring operation
During departure from port, crew climbed over the vessel’s side to release shoreside mooring lines without safe boarding arrangements, despite a briefing on shore-based support. The flash identifies procedural, risk-assessment and change-management failures, and absent stop-work intervention. Lessons address crew acting as linesmen, advance contingency planning and assessment of changes.
- 201923 Aug
LTI during mooring operations
A crewman suffered a hairline fracture to his right hand while attempting to stop a rapidly slackening breast line during vessel mooring. The flash identifies misjudgement of the moving line’s force, inadequate qualifications, absence of an officer in charge, unenforced procedures and an unassessed risk.
- 201923 Aug
Mooring incident: Mooring line slipped off and snapped back
A cargo barge’s mooring line slipped from its bollards and recoiled into an attending tug, damaging its antenna dome. Temporary loss of barge control led to a collision without damage. The flash examines incorrect mooring arrangements, backward-angled bollards and towing-bridle slack, and discusses conditional figure-of-eight mooring, training and contingency practice.
- 201928 May
Theft from vessel at anchor
Thieves boarded a vessel anchored at Callao, Peru, and stole mooring ropes. Entry via the anchor chain and a poorly fitted hawse pipe cover was considered most likely. The flash describes inadequate watch coverage and subsequent improvements to securing arrangements, forepeak surveillance, rope storage and visible vigilance.
- 2019Apr
MAIB Safety Digest 1/2019
A marine accident digest examining merchant, fishing and recreational vessel casualties. Cases address collisions, groundings, mooring equipment failures, fires, flooding and fatal water-entry accidents. Lessons discuss passage planning, equipment testing, alarm accuracy, emergency arrangements and risk assessment. A reproduced bulletin examines oxygen deficiency during refrigerated salt-water tank entry.
- 201825 Sep
High Potential Near Miss: Line of Fire During Mooring Operations
An offshore support vessel’s mooring hawser trapped a seafarer against a stair handrail during manoeuvring around a sea buoy. The flash examines buoy fouling, sea conditions, restricted visibility and missing deck-clear confirmation. Actions include a replacement buoy, a clear-deck policy, VHF confirmation, planned toolbox/JSA reviews and an alternative azimuth-drive manoeuvre.
- 201811 Apr
Rope on propeller causing partial loss of propulsion
A platform supply vessel suffered partial loss of propulsion after a mooring rope entered the water and fouled its port propeller. The flash identifies deficient planning, risk assessment and communication during mooring, including delayed notification to the bridge. Lessons emphasise coordinated communication, more detailed risk assessment and stopping work when in doubt.
- 201831 Jan
Snapped mooring line
A stern mooring line jammed in a winch storage drum while a vessel entered a port lock, then parted under tension as the vessel moved forward. No crew were struck. The flash emphasises pre-mooring briefings, equipment checks, clearing jammed lines and communication between stations and the bridge.
- 20179 Nov
Cargo collapse on bulk carrier Graig Rotterdam with loss of 1 life
Investigation of a fatal timber deck cargo collapse during discharge from Graig Rotterdam at Alexandria Port. The bosun fell into an alongside barge. The report examines cargo securing, package racking strength, stevedoring practices, supervision and fall protection, while acknowledging uncertainty about how the accident occurred.
- 201720 Oct
Stored energy near miss: Person nearly hit by equipment caught during light daughtercraft operations
A stand-by diver narrowly avoided a block and tackle projected when a mooring line caught a deployed rescue davit on a light daughtercraft. The flash examines hurried transit preparations, restricted monitoring and procedural gaps, and records revised departure hold points, operating checklists and practical familiarisation requirements.
- 201725 Jul
Parting of hawser and bulk cargo hose during tandem mooring
During tandem bunkering at sea, a mooring rope parted under intermittent jerking as both vessels yawed. Fuel transfer had not begun because the receiving vessel’s pump would not start. The empty hose subsequently parted during tugger-winch retrieval after becoming entangled. The flash discusses postponing operations pending pump readiness or improved weather.
- 201719 Jul
Girting and capsize of tug Domingue while assisting container ship CMA CGM Simba with loss of 2 lives
This MAIB investigation examines Domingue’s fatal capsize while assisting CMA CGM Simba’s departure from Tulear. It analyses ship movements, tug capability, missing gog rope and emergency tow release, and communication and monitoring failures. Open closures probably contributed through downflooding. The report records fleet actions and makes no recommendations.
- 201715 Jun
Failure of mooring line on board LNG carrier Zarga with 1 person injured
Investigates a spring-line failure during Zarga’s repositioning at South Hook LNG terminal, seriously injuring the mooring officer. Destructive testing, microscopy and modelling examined jacketed HMPE rope degradation and snap-back. Findings address axial compression fatigue, line–fairlead compatibility, misleading safe areas, supervision and ineffective inspection and retirement arrangements.
- 201715 Jun
High potential near-miss: Mooring rope parted
A mooring buoy rope parted while a vessel was moored, without injury or vessel damage. The flash attributes failure to wear and inadequate routine inspection. Lessons address regular rope inspection, withdrawal of ropes in poor condition, and crew briefings on defects and snapback precautions.
- 20168 Dec
Man overboard from potter Our Sarah Jane with loss of 1 life
Investigates a deckhand’s fatal entry into the English Channel to free Our Sarah Jane’s fouled propeller. Examines probable cold water shock, possible drug-related effects on decision-making, and unsuccessful recovery attempts. Identifies shortcomings in lifebuoy availability, buoyant lifelines and emergency preparedness, alongside concerns about personal flotation device use.
- 201617 Nov
Capsize and flooding of berthed scallop dredger Fredwood resulting in loss of the vessel
Investigates Fredwood’s loss on a drying berth at Maryport. Untended mooring lines preceded a port list, placing the vessel’s weight on a protruding sonar tube and damaging hull planking. The report examines delayed emergency action, changed berth conditions after dredging and harbour safety management, recommending adequate resources for the commercial docks.
- 201616 Nov
Grounding and capsize of berthed trawler Saint Christophe 1 resulting in loss of the vessel
This investigation examines two French trawlers grounding at Dartmouth while sheltering from bad weather. Saint Christophe 1 capsized and flooded; Sagittaire’s crew arrested its list with chains. Findings address the sloping berth, misunderstood warnings, deficient watertight closures, missing harbour charts and ineffective implementation of port risk controls.
- 201618 Oct
Unsafe method of rope work resulted in severe hand injury
An Able Seaman suffered injuries to three fingers while spooling a mooring line onto a tugger winch before arrival in port. A slipping crowbar trapped his fingers against a roller. The flash identifies an unsafe spooling method, absent risk assessment and toolbox talk, and his being new aboard.
- 201630 Jun
Mooring rope fouled the propeller and parted
During berthing, excessively slackened mooring ropes fouled a turning propeller, became taut and parted. Near-vertical recoil missed crew standing in the snapback zone. The flash identifies communication, awareness and supervision shortcomings, and records preventive actions involving risk assessment, briefings, crew retraining and ship-specific constraints.
- 201618 Apr
Mooring near-miss: Lines break during un-docking operation
This safety flash describes two synthetic mooring ropes parting while used as tug lines during undocking. No crew were standing at the connection area, and no injuries occurred. Investigation found no prior signs of rope damage; the ropes had been in service since the vessel’s delivery in 2005.
- 2016Apr
MAIB Safety Digest 1/2016
Marine accident case studies cover merchant vessels, commercial fishing and recreational craft, examining navigation, fatigue, flooding, fires, machinery entanglement and overboard emergencies. Lessons address risk assessment, training, maintenance and emergency preparation. A reproduced bulletin examines premature failure of jacketed synthetic mooring ropes and limitations of internal condition assessment.
- 201611 Feb
Second safety warning issued after mooring line failure on board LNG tanker Zarga resulted in serious injury to a deck officer
MAIB’s second bulletin on Zarga’s mooring-rope failure examines jacketed HMPE construction, hidden yarn damage consistent with axial compression fatigue, and undersized fitting rollers. Following serious injury to a deck officer, it strongly advises operators to consult manufacturers about rope suitability, fitting compatibility and condition monitoring before ropes become materially degraded.
- 20153 Dec
Non-fatal man overboard incident
A crewman lost his balance and fell overboard while freeing a mooring rope trapped between a Yokohama fender and a barge. He was rescued unharmed in less than five minutes. The flash identifies missing task-specific briefing and risk assessment, and recommends improved supervision, fender positioning, mooring practices and emergency response.
- 2015Oct
MAIB Safety Digest 2/2015
A compilation of 25 marine accident articles shares lessons for merchant vessels, fishing boats and small craft. Cases examine collisions, grounding, mooring casualties, fire, flooding and people entering the water. Lessons address supervision, briefings, navigation equipment, lifejacket reliability and emergency preparations, with additional analysis of synthetic mooring-line recoil.
- 201510 Aug
Mooring line failure resulting in serious injury
A deck officer suffered serious head injuries when a forward spring line parted and recoiled during efforts to reposition a berthed vessel in gusty winds. The flash describes repeated winch stalling and slipping, the officer’s position near a roller fairlead, and subsequent MAIB trials measuring mooring-line elongation and snap-back behaviour.
- 20158 Jul
Safety warning issued after mooring line failure on board LNG tanker Zarga resulted in serious injury to a deck officer
This safety bulletin examines a mooring-line failure aboard Zarga at Milford Haven that seriously injured a deck officer. Trials demonstrated how elastic synthetic tails increased recoil in low-elasticity UHMPE lines. Lessons address tail length, line suitability, complex snap-back zones and regular review of mooring risk assessments while the investigation remained ongoing.
- 201529 May
Minor damage to pontoon cleat during crew transfer vessel mooring operations
A pontoon cleat broke and flew near a crewman while a crew transfer vessel was leaving its berth; no injuries occurred. Findings discuss wind loading and possible material fatigue. Recommendations address suitable mooring points for larger vessels during bad weather and closed-loop communication before manoeuvres.
- 201516 Jan
Lost time injury (LTI): Hand injury during mooring operations
A crewman sustained severe left-hand lacerations when relative vessel movement tensioned a mooring rope, trapping his palm between its eye and a bollard. The flash identifies insufficient slack, absent VHF coordination and lone working, with lessons on bridge-led communication, pre-work risk assessment, weather-related procedures and buddy working.
- 201431 Oct
Lost time injury (LTI): Fall overboard/fall from height
A hopper-barge crew member suffered serious spinal injuries after losing balance while refitting a mooring line in adverse harbour weather, falling from about 2 m onto a quay-wall fender. The flash examines lone working, absent restraint and inadequate risk assessment, with lessons on securing personnel, mooring arrangements and handling suspected spinal injuries.
- 2014Oct
MAIB Safety Digest 2/2014
A collection of marine accident accounts and preventive lessons covering merchant vessels, fishing boats and small craft. Cases examine groundings, collisions, fires, flooding, mooring injuries and rescue difficulties. Discussions address navigation equipment, watchkeeping fatigue, crew coordination, emergency drills and equipment readiness, with an appended bulletin on oxygen depletion and unsafe rescue attempts.
- 201417 Jul
Near-miss: Unauthorised release of shore-controlled mooring lines
During departure preparations at a shipyard, shore personnel released four wire mooring ropes without bridge permission before tugs were positioned. The master’s prompt action maintained control, with no injury or damage. The flash examines delayed communication and recommends change management, agreed radio protocols and advance assurance of third-party personnel’s qualifications and training.
- 201414 Jul
Lost time injury (LTI) during mooring operations
A chief officer sustained a fractured skull after a mooring line slipped off a bitt, struck his chest and caused him to fall backwards onto the tug’s deck. The flash examines snap-back exposure, mooring geometry and inadequate change management, highlighting stop-work intervention, toolbox communication and crew competence.
- 20148 Jul
Lost time injury (LTI): Hand severed during mooring operations
A Chief Mate lost his right hand while handling a pick-up rope aboard a service vessel moving floating hoses. Sea swell tightened the rope, trapping his hand against a panama eye. The flash identifies inadequate preparation, an unrecognised hazard, unsafe line handling and cultural barriers to challenging authority.
- 201416 Jun
First aid incident during at-sea fuel transfer – mooring lines
This brief safety flash reports injuries to two crewmen struck by tensioned mooring lines during fuel transfer at sea. It points readers to the Marine Safety Forum for the underlying flash, available on request, without supplying further incident circumstances or specific preventive measures.
- 2014Jun
Person overboard during mooring operation on general cargo vessel Sea Melody with loss of 1 life
This investigation examines the loss of a crewman pulled overboard by a mooring headline while Sea Melody shifted berths at Groveport. It analyses ineffective briefings, ship–shore communication failures, absent dedicated supervision and difficult wind and tidal conditions, alongside the rescue response and subsequent actions.
- 201317 Oct
Lost time injury (LTI): Crewman injured foot during offshore renewables mooring operation
A crewman aboard a crew transfer vessel suffered partial foot amputation after a mooring line dragged him across the foredeck during offshore wind operations. Preliminary findings identified missing formal procedures, lone working, inadequate visibility and voice communication, and the need for a safe standing area and shorter mooring rope.
- 2013Jun
Persons washed overboard from general cargo vessel Timberland during heavy weather with loss of 2 lives
Investigates two crew fatalities after a wave washed them from Timberland’s aft mooring deck in the North Sea while securing a loose nylon rope. Examines rope stowage failure, unsuitable and corroded fire-fighter’s lifelines, heavy-weather risk assessment and rescue limitations, alongside subsequent changes to company procedures and fall-protection provision.
- 2013May
Grounding of general cargo vessel Carrier
Investigates Carrier’s grounding at Raynes Jetty, North Wales, during departure in severe weather. Examines delayed departure decisions, mooring-line chafing, propulsion limitations, misunderstood weather forecasts and deficient jetty risk management. The report also analyses helicopter rescue difficulties and discusses improvements to marine operating guidance and training.
- 2013Jan
Crush incident between platform supply vessel E.R. Athina and its fast rescue craft with loss of 1 life
Investigation of a bosun’s fatal crushing between E.R. Athina’s hull and its fast rescue craft’s lifting frame while preparing paintwork repairs off Aberdeen. The report examines swell and tidal effects, securing arrangements, inadequate task planning and risk assessment, and delays in recognising injury severity and arranging medical evacuation.
- 2013
Offshore installation moorings
This information sheet explains offshore mooring requirements for permanently moored installations and mobile units. It addresses design standards, weather robustness, thruster assistance, inspection criteria, tension and position monitoring, line-break response and failure reporting. Location-specific analyses and anchor verification are discussed alongside safety-case duties and verification arrangements.
- 2012Dec
Series of accidents including windlass damage, grounding and 1 person injured on ro-ro cargo ferry Norcape
Investigation of Norcape’s windlass damage, grounding and crew injury during operations around Troon and Brodick Bay in November 2011. It examines anchoring loads and securing arrangements, vessel handling, tug coordination and propeller fouling during rope recovery. Recommendations address familiarisation, passage planning, manoeuvring-console information and emergency response.
- 2012Oct
MAIB Safety Digest 2/2012
A collection of marine accident narratives and lessons for merchant vessels, fishing boats and small craft. Cases examine collisions, groundings, mooring fatalities, fires, equipment failures and people overboard. Discussion covers ECDIS alarms, rope condition, rescue-craft recovery, passage planning, risk assessment and emergency drills. Appendix coverage dates concern investigations started, not the case incidents.
- 2012Aug
Person overboard during unmooring operation on ro-ro passenger ferry Ernest Bevin with loss of 1 life
Investigates a fatal overboard accident during unmooring of Ernest Bevin at Woolwich on the River Thames. A mooring rope caught in the ferry’s propeller and dragged a deckhand overboard. The report examines rope handling, supervision, risk assessment, communication, lifejacket performance and difficulties recovering an unconscious casualty by workboat.
- 201210 Jul
Two recent cases of hand and arm injuries
This safety flash summarises two hand and arm injuries reported by the Marine Safety Forum. A crewman cut his palm on a sharp steel burr on a door finishing strip. During mooring, another crewman’s hand became trapped between a mooring line and roller fairlead, twisting and fracturing his arm.
- 2012
MAIB Safety Digest 1/2012
A marine accident digest presenting separate merchant vessel, fishing and small craft cases. Lessons examine navigation, propulsion-control trials, fires, maintenance hazards and overboard recovery. Emergency drills, competence, revised risk assessments and equipment securing recur, alongside detailed discussion of lifejacket fitting, lifting loops and tether limitations.