RA 09 - December 2009 – One of a series of Steamship Mutual Loss Prevention Bulletins produced by the Ship Safety Trust Page 1 of 2 For further information please contact the Loss Prevention Department, Steamship Insurance Management Services Ltd., Tel: +44 20 7247 5490; Email: loss.prevention@simsl.com Web: www.simsl.com/loss-prevention-and-safety-training.html Securing of RO Securing of ROSecuring of RO Securing of ROR RR RO OO O Cargo Cargo Cargo Cargo Introduction Introduction Introduction Introduction A report has recently been published by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch in the United Kingdom concerning an incident when a Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV), consisting of a tractor unit and a semi-trailer bulk powder tanker, left the deck of a high speed ferry as it accelerated away from port. The 34MT HGV was the last vehicle to be loaded on the port side aft, one metre in front of one of the four aft aluminium non-weathertight doors to the vehicle deck. Four polyester web lashings which had been fitted to the semi-trailer were tightened by means of their internal ratchet mechanisms; however, no lashings were fitted to the tractor unit. Four rubber chocks had also been placed around the aft wheels on the trailer unit. Unfortunately the driver had omitted to put the tractor unit in gear or apply the tractor unit parking brake. He had also not applied the parking brake for the semi-trailer which had to be applied from a location outside the cab at a control position on the chassis. After departing her berth and clearing congested waters the vessel started to accelerate from 17.5 knots to 40 knots. As she accelerated, her static stern trim of 20cm started to increase. As the vessel reached 27 knots an alarm sounded indicating that one of the vehicle deck doors was open. Simultaneously a loud crashing noise was heard from the vicinity of the port aft vehicle deck, which was immediately investigated by the deck crew. They found that the port aft shell door was missing, a HGV tractor unit was wedged up against the internal insulation at the top of the door opening, and the trailer unit was hanging vertically over the stern. The tractor unit subsequently returned towards deck level where it was secured in position, and the trailer unit rested vertically on top of no.2 waterjet. Conclusions Conclusions Conclusions Conclusions 1. The tractor and trailer unit were parked with neither the tractor nor trailer unit parking brakes having been applied, nor the tractor unit being put in gear, even though signs were posted on the vehicle deck to this effect. Deck crew were also provided with hand held signboards, instructing drivers to put their handbrake on and to leave their vehicles in gear, however these were not in use at the time of the incident. Drivers were not verbally instructed to apply brakes, and the crew did not seek confirmation that they had done so. It was also not a requirement of the carrier for trailer unit brakes to be applied during crossings. RA 09 - December 2009 – One of a series of Steamship Mutual Loss Prevention Bulletins produced by the Ship Safety Trust Page 2 of 2 For further information please contact the Loss Prevention Department, Steamship Insurance Management Services Ltd., Tel: +44 20 7247 5490; Email: loss.prevention@simsl.com Web: www.simsl.com/loss-prevention-and-safety-training.html 2. The tractor and trailer unit had not been parked or secured in accordance with the requirements of the vessel’s own Cargo S