Recommendation Date
Recipient Name
MNZ
Text
The wire pennants parted under tensile overload because they had all been significantly weakened by severe corrosion. Corrosion had gone undetected inside a plastic sheathing that the manufacturer of the lifting sling had placed around the wire pennants.
The presence of the plastic sheathing encasing the wire rope meant that neither the crew nor the various surveyors tasked with inspecting the launching system could inspect and maintain the wire rope as required by SOLAS.
Encasing steel wire in plastic sheathing when it is to be used in the marine environment has significant implications for maritime safety, especially when the wire must be regularly inspected and maintained in order to remain fit for purpose.
On 26 February 2015 the Commission recommended that the Director of Maritime New Zealand submit this report to the International Maritime Organization and raise the implications that plastic-sheathed wire ropes have for maritime safety through the appropriate International Maritime Organization safety committee for its consideration.
The presence of the plastic sheathing encasing the wire rope meant that neither the crew nor the various surveyors tasked with inspecting the launching system could inspect and maintain the wire rope as required by SOLAS.
Encasing steel wire in plastic sheathing when it is to be used in the marine environment has significant implications for maritime safety, especially when the wire must be regularly inspected and maintained in order to remain fit for purpose.
On 26 February 2015 the Commission recommended that the Director of Maritime New Zealand submit this report to the International Maritime Organization and raise the implications that plastic-sheathed wire ropes have for maritime safety through the appropriate International Maritime Organization safety committee for its consideration.
Reply Text
I can confirm that this recommendation is already on the Domestic and International Policy team international register of work and initial consideration has commenced.
As soon as Maritime NZ receives from TAIC an electronic PDF copy of the final report we can upload this to the IMO's GISIS website, thus completing the initial part of this recommendation.
More detailed consideration is required of the second part of the recommendation as this has an impact on resources and budgets, which must be considered against other work items. In addition the timeline for the range of options to close out the second part of the recommendation varies greatly and thus it is not practicable to confirm the date when the recommendation will be fully implemented.
As soon as Maritime NZ receives from TAIC an electronic PDF copy of the final report we can upload this to the IMO's GISIS website, thus completing the initial part of this recommendation.
More detailed consideration is required of the second part of the recommendation as this has an impact on resources and budgets, which must be considered against other work items. In addition the timeline for the range of options to close out the second part of the recommendation varies greatly and thus it is not practicable to confirm the date when the recommendation will be fully implemented.
Related Investigation(s)