Volume 8: Number 1: February 2001

RISK WATCH
The Britannia Steam Ship
Insurance Association Limited

Unauthorised access to enclosed spaces

Lessons can be learned from an unusual and tragic incident
involving the death of two security service personnel conducting
a ship search at the Port of Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
The ship was fully laden with a cargo of

Unfortunately, only one of the three

coal at the time of the search. The cargo

security personnel affected survived

holds had not been ventilated and the

the incident.

Master was engaged in port arrival

formalities.

Whilst this incident is unusual, ships

arriving in port are frequently boarded

As part of the search operation two

by various individuals with authority to

security personnel entered the No1

search for stowaways, undeclared goods,

cargo hold via an access hatch,

narcotics or other contraband. The

unfortunately without testing the

chances of these personnel having

atmosphere and certainly without

knowledge of the dangers of entering

wearing breathing apparatus sets.

an enclosed space or infact the particular

Both men succumbed to the rare

hazards involved with the cargo being

atmosphere and fell whilst descending

carried at the time, are slight.The following

the hold ladder. A third member of the

recommendations are therefore made:

search team attempted a rescue

operation, again without proper
equipment being used, and he too fell.
The master and ships officers were then
contacted and the hatch cover opened
and a rescue operation mounted.

Access hatches to cargo holds/tanks

with an atmosphere incapable of
sustaining life should be closed and, if
at all possible, locked on arrival in port;

Clear notices, designed to discourage

anyone from entering the enclosed
space without proper equipment and
authorisation, should be displayed at
such access points;

The Master and/or duty officer

responsible for meeting shoreside
personnel likely to wish to search the
ship must make it absolutely clear at the
first opportunity that enclosed cargo
spaces are not to be entered until
properly ventilated or unless proper

DA N G E R

breathing apparatus is worn;

DO NOT ENTER
POISONOUS AIR

carried onboard must be operational

Breathing apparatus and spare bottles

and fully charged at all times and must,
of course, be ready for immediate use.

RISK WATCH The Britannia Steam Ship Insurance Association Limited

Warning: Radioactive Scrap

The Association has become involved in at least three cases
involving the rejection of scrap shipments because these
have been found to be radioactive.
Warnings that illegal radioactive scrap

The problem may be compounded by

metal imports into Europe are

the fact that there is so much of this

increasing have been given and were

material available for shipment.

recently the subject of an International

Conference held in Dijon, France,

Members are therefore warned to be

organised by the International Atomic

vigilant when considering the carriage

Energy Agency.

of scrap metal, particularly from Eastern

Europe or from areas where oil

This illegal traffic may involve seemingly

exploration is ongoing. The cases we

innocuous steel pipe being a by-

have dealt with involve both bulk and

product of oil exploration and drilling

containerised scrap.

work or, in the extreme, involve the

shipment of scrap originating from

At this stage we recommend that

nuclear reactors.

Members:

At this stage we have been unable to

identify any common link other than
the fact that the cargoes are radioactive.

Seek details of and determine the

origin of any shipment to be carried;

Avoid contracting with unknown

scrap dealers/charterers offering scrap
cargoes;

Monitor cargoes prior to loading to

detect any radioactive material;

Contact the Managers or the

Associations correspondent if in doubt.
We would also suggest that contracts
for the carriage of scrap expressly
exclude radioactive scrap metal and
that appropriate indemnities be secured.

We recommend that Members consider

monitoring scrap cargoes for radioactive
material prior to loading.

Overhanging cranes in Huangpu New Port, China

The Association recently dealt with an incident which highlights
the danger posed by two cranes in Huangpu New Port, PRC.
The cranes in question are at berths

agent, or both. Members are therefore

No1 and No2 and are of the gantry type.

alerted to the particular problem that

When the booms are fully raised they

these cranes present.

do not reach a vertical position as can

be seen in the photograph and thus

More generally, Members operating

pose a risk of damage to the cranes

ships with a high air draft are reminded

themselves as well as to the ship during

to emphasise to their masters the risks

ship berthing manoeuvres.

posed by cranes and other obstacles

overhanging berths.

In the incident involving one of the

Associations Members, a pure car carrier
was scheduled to dock in berth No1.
The Master had provided details of the
ships particulars, including her air draft,
to the agent concerned.

It would appear, however, that the air

draft was overlooked at the time of
planning the berth allocation for the
ship, either by the port operators or the

RISK WATCH is published by The Britannia Steam Ship Insurance Association Limited
Tindall Riley (Britannia) Limited
New City Court
20 St Thomas Street
London SE1 9RR
Tel +44 (0)20 7407 3588
Fax +44 (0)20 7403 3942

Hydrostatic Release Units

A number of surveyors conducting condition surveys on
behalf of the Association have noticed that life rafts are often
found with their hydrostatic release units wrongly fitted.
This may be as a result of the life raft having

We encourage ship masters to ensure that the

been ashore for servicing and then the

ships life rafts are secured properly so that they

hydrostatic release incorrectly fitted when the

can be quickly released, using the senhouse slip

unit is returned to the ship. More seriously there

device, or will release automatically should the

are all too often instances where the hydrostatic

ship sink.

release has been deliberately by-passed and the

raft secured to the cradle or other deck fittings.
This is noted particularly where the life raft is in
an exposed position such as on the focsle.
We are most grateful to Avmar Ltd, distributors
of the Hammar hydrostatic release system, for
providing us with their authority to reproduce
these diagrams which clearly show the proper
method of stowing a life raft with a hydrostatic
release attached.

Detailed diagram
showing the
Senhouse sliphook

proper method of
stowing a life raft
with a hydrostatic
release attached.
Thimble
Release unit

Attachment line
Life raft painter line

Expiry date

Red weak link

Single point connector

Thimble