MO-2010-201

On the afternoon of 3 May 2010, the bulk log carrier TPC Wellington was loading logs in Port Marsden, Northland. When the chief officer entered a cargo hold that was full of logs that had been loaded at a previous port, he rapidly lost useful consciousness (lost the ability to hold on to the ladder) and fell from the ladder onto the cargo below.
The ship’s bosun had accompanied the chief officer to the cargo hold access and when the chief officer fell he alerted nearby deck crew before leaving to collect rescue equipment. One of the nearby crew members went to the hold access and on seeing the unconscious chief officer below, entered the hold with the intention of rescuing him. He too rapidly lost useful consciousness and fell from the ladder onto the cargo below.
The 2 crew members lost useful consciousness owing to the combined effects of an oxygen-depleted atmosphere and the likely presence of toxic gases, both consequences of the organic decomposition of the logs in the closed cargo hold. The oxygen levels in the cargo hold were as low as 1% to 3%, which would cause loss of effective consciousness within 3 to 9 seconds, and total unconsciousness very soon afterwards, followed by death within 5 minutes. Both crew members were pronounced dead at the scene after they had been rescued from the hold access.
The dangers of the organic decomposition of logs and other organic cargos in enclosed spaces are well known in the international maritime community, and were documented on board the TPC Wellington, but in spite of this the high risk this posed to the crew had not been identified, no specific training had been given to the crew members to heighten their awareness of the risk, and no emergency drills had been conducted in recent times for rescue from enclosed spaces.
The emergency response by the ship’s crew to the accident was not well co-ordinated, which reduced the possibility of saving the lives of the 2 men in the cargo hold.
Internationally a disproportionately high number of deaths attributable to entry into enclosed spaces has prompted a review by the International Maritime Organisation of what can be done to improve safety in this area. The Commission has not been able to make any new and meaningful recommendations to address this well known safety issue. The Commission will, however forward this report to the IMO and invite the appropriate committee to note the contents of the report for any future programmes to improve awareness of the dangers associated with entry into enclosed spaces.

Key lessons:

- Enclosed (confined) spaces can kill.
- Never enter an enclosed (confined) space unless you have checked the atmosphere.
- Always follow the correct procedures for entering enclosed (confined) spaces.
- Manuals and written procedures alone will not prevent accidents, but training and audit that ensures they are understood and are followed, probably will.