Casualty Circular No. 2 of 2009

(Regulatory/Guidance/Information)

NO:9- NT(12)/2007                                                                             Dated: 16.02.2009

Subject: Stranding of Fishing Vessel in Indian port during severe monsoon months.  

NARRATIVE:  

Two Indian fishing trawlers, wooden construction, registered under Indian Merchant Shipping Act, manned by Thai and Mynamer national crew called at Indian port from Thailand on 28.6.2007 to undertake annual/drydocking repairs inspection. The vessels anchored in the afternoon of 28.6.2007. Both the trawlers were not permitted to enter the port because of ISPS code restrictions. In the late evening hours on the same day the vessels encountered sudden rain and cyclonic weather due to the low pressure formed on the Bay of Bengal. As reported, the wind speed went upto 55 knots per hour with very high swell on the rough sea. Both the trawlers failed to lift up their anchors to proceed to safer place and could not start their engines in time. This technical snag led to the drifting of the vessel towards the local sea beach. The vessels swamped up the beach on 29.6.2007 at 0500 hrs. There were 36 crew on board, 28 survived and 8 lost their lives. The boats became total wreck and broke into pieces due to heavy swell at sea.  

OBSERVATIONS/ANALYSISES:  

• Port did not permit due to ISPS code restriction.
• Heavy weather condition caused the vessels to drift ashore.
• Two Boats broke into pieces due to heavy storm as it was made of wood.
• Engines failed to start and delayed the timely shifting of vessel to safer place.

RECOMMENDATIONS/LESSONS LEARNT:

• Considering a small size of the vessels and material of construction the port/coastal state authority should provide sheltered anchorage or protected safe places to such vessels specially during monsoon months, whenever there is a conflict between safety and security, the safety should prevail.
• To enhance security of such vessels, security requirements may be extended with limited compliance of ISPS code.
• To prevent similar incident uniform safety standard specially for wooden vessel be formulated in line with recommended International practices.
• To enhance competence level of the crew uniform training standards should be applied in accordance with International practices.

The owner of Fishing vessel, port authority, fishermen and other stakeholders are urges to adhere to the safe practice of good seamanship during operation especially in monsoon months in Indian water. They are also advised to read the Casualty Circulars/Monsoon Advisory available on DGS web site www.dgshipping.com.

Sd/-
(Capt. Deepak Kapoor)
Nautical Surveyor-cum-DDG (Tech)