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Flooding of vessel leading to its sinking in Bav of Bengal sea
Applicable to:
All Indian seafarers and stakeholders
Effective Date:
26th December 2023
Superseded Circulars:
None
Key Changes and Requirements
1. Incident Summary
A general cargo vessel sank in the Bay of Bengal on 20th July 2017 due to flooding, leading to the loss of the vessel and its cargo.
2. Causal Factors
- Inadequate securing of cargo: TOR steel, GI pipes, and sand in bulk were not secured properly, violating the IMSBC Code.
- Low GM and free surface effect: The vessel may have sailed with low GM, leading to negative GM and causing it to heel.
- Lack of damage stability calculations: The vessel did not have damage stability calculations for various conditions.
- Inadequate emergency handling: The vessel was heeled for over a day, and adequate action to upright it was not taken. Diverting to the nearest place of refuge was not considered.
3. Action Taken
- Crew actions: Checked all tanks and holds, removed water from cargo hold #1, attempted to correct the starboard heel, raised distress alert, and abandoned the vessel.
- Rescue: Indian coast guard sent aircraft and later a ship for rescue of all personnel.
Lessons Learnt
- Load and secure all bulk cargo as per the IMSBC Code.
- Ensure compliance with intact stability requirements before departure.
- Correct heel due to angle of loll as per recommended practices.
- Be aware of forecasted weather conditions and take early action to avoid rough sea conditions.
- Calculate various damaged stability conditions.
Important Note
All stakeholders are advised to review and implement the lessons learnt to prevent similar incidents.
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