Category: Operations, Date: 18/09/2012, Area: Worldwide
We would like to advise Members that the Club has recently seen a number of injuries, resulting in claims, which occurred during mooring operations on board our Members’ vessels. Many of these incidents involved non-designated mooring crew including ships’ engineers, cooks and other crew who were not trained in this aspect of operations.
Mooring operations are dangerous to crew because of the great loads that mooring lines carry, the considerable speed at which mooring ropes run and the danger of them breaking while taking up tension.
Appropriate and detailed training must be provided to those involved in mooring operations so that the hazards and necessary precautions can be identified. These operations must be supervised by a responsible officer and it is strongly recommended that only trained personnel should be present at mooring stations during mooring operations.
Members are advised to highlight the dangers associated with mooring operations to their masters and crew, and to ensure all crew members involved in mooring operations are appropriately trained to ensure total safety during mooring.
Source of information:
Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seamen, MCA, UK
Mooring Practice Safety Guidance, IMCA
