NTSB – Safer Seas Digest 2020

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of the United States has published their SAFER SEAS Digest 2020, being lessons learned from marine accident investigations.  The NTSB determines the probable cause of the accidents and issues safety recommendations aimed at preventing future accidents. 

The digest covers lessons learned from 42 maritime accidents involving contact with fixed objects, sinkings, collisions, fires, explosions, flooding, groundings, and capsizings.  The safety issues categorised include:

• Procedures and effective communication;
• Fatigue;
• Crew training;
• Voyage planning and dynamic risk assessment, vessel speed;
• Smoke detection, storage of flammable or combustible materials, closing ventilation inlets during a fire;
• Lithium-ion battery hazards;
• Navigating through bridges, operating in high-water/high-current conditions;
• Effective hull inspection and maintenance, inspection of control linkages.

The contents include reports on the investigation into:

• 18 cases of vessels inappropriately contacting the quay or other fixed structure;
• 8 collisions;
• 6 fires or explosions;
• 4 flooding incidents,
• 2 groundings and,
• Equipment and machinery failure.

Also covered is the sinking of the Liftboat Kristin Faye.