Executive summary
On Thursday 15 April 2004 at about 0215, the fishing vessel "Poseidon" grounded on a beach north of Manukau Heads while on passage from fishing grounds off Kawhia to Onehunga. The skipper was able to transmit a mayday call and the crew were winched off the vessel by rescue helicopter. On the evening of 16 April 2004 a salvage team refloated the "Poseidon". There were no injuries. The vessel suffered extensive damage to its hull and fitments.
Safety issues identified included:
• the lack of a watchkeeping monitor alarm for a single-handed wheelhouse operation
• the undertaking of navigational watchkeeping and helmsman tasks whilst impaired by the effects of fatigue.
Safety recommendations were made to the Managing Director of Poseidon Fishing Company Limited, and the General Manager, Trade and Education of the Seafood Industry Council.
[The report also found that safety recommendations 042/04 and 043/04 to the Manager of SGS M&I Ships Management Systems and 052/04 to the Director of Maritime Safety which arose from investigation 04-205 (fishing vessel "Bronny G", grounding, Steep Head, Banks Peninsula, 26 March 2004), addressed the above safety issues and were equally applicable to this collision.]
Related Recommendations
Include an article in the Seafood New Zealand magazine featuring this report, the intent of Maritime Rule Part 31C [Crewing and Watchkeeping - Fishing Vessels] together with its advisory circular and the work of the Maritime Safety Authority convened FISHgroup and fishSAFE initiatives.
Fit watchkeeping alarms independent of all other equipment in the wheelhouse of all vessels operated by his company and put in place a procedure to ensure that the watchkeeping alarms are operated whenever a navigational watch is undertaken.
In conjunction with the Safe Ship Management Company include a section in the Safe Ship Management manual on the signs, symptoms and effects of fatigue and practical methods of managing fatigue.
In conjunction with the Safe Ship Management Company implement the requirements of Maritime Rule Part 31C [Crewing and Watchkeeping - Fishing Vessels] for all vessels operated by his company and update the safe ship management manuals as necessary.