Sinking of vessel due to uncontrolled ingress of water from the engine room sea chest filter housing during its routine

**Executive Summary** This casualty circular, issued by the Directorate General of Shipping, Mumbai on November 17, 2023, addresses the sinking of an OSV vessel on November 21, 2017, due to uncontrolled water ingress from the engine room sea chest filter housing during routine maintenance. The circular identifies causal factors, actions taken, and lessons learned from the incident. The circular requires stakeholders to implement improvements based on the incident. **Key Points / Main Content** * **Incident Overview:** * On November 21, 2017, an OSV vessel sunk due to flooding in the engine room. * The flooding resulted from uncontrolled water ingress during a sea chest filter cleaning operation. * The vessel was abandoned after the Master raised a distress alert. * There was no oil pollution at the site. * **Causal Factors:** * Inadequate risk assessment prior to the job. * Failure of the 2nd Engineer to follow proper procedures for cleaning the sea chest filter, resulting in improper flushing. * Insufficient supervision by the Chief Engineer. * Failure to use the seawater pump from the affected sea chest to reduce water pressure at the filter housing. * **Actions Taken:** * Master raised a distress alert upon identifying uncontrolled water ingress. * Master ordered abandonment of the ship due to engine room flooding. * All crew members were rescued by a nearby vessel. * A tug was kept standby at the site to monitor the area for any oil pollution. * **Lessons Learned:** * Proper risk assessments are necessary for all jobs, particularly high-risk ones. * The Chief Engineer should maintain adequate supervision for all high-risk jobs on board. * Emergency procedures, especially for isolating watertight compartments, must be followed when required. **Impact Analysis** **Stakeholder:** Ship Owners/Operators * **Impact:** Need to reinforce safety protocols and ensure proper risk assessment procedures are in place for all maintenance activities. * **Action Required:** Review and update safety management systems to address the identified causal factors. Ensure crew training emphasizes proper procedures for sea chest filter cleaning and emergency response. **Stakeholder:** Chief Engineers * **Impact:** Increased responsibility for supervising high-risk jobs and ensuring proper procedures are followed. * **Action Required:** Enforce strict adherence to safety protocols, provide thorough oversight of maintenance tasks, and ensure crew competency in emergency procedures. **Stakeholder:** 2nd Engineers and Other Crew Members Involved in Maintenance * **Impact:** Need to fully understand and adhere to established procedures for maintenance tasks. * **Action Required:** Participate in refresher training on proper maintenance procedures, including sea chest filter cleaning, and ensure competence in risk assessment and emergency response. **Stakeholder:** Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) * **Impact:** Responsible for disseminating safety information and ensuring compliance with regulations. * **Action Required:** Monitor the implementation of corrective actions by stakeholders and conduct audits to verify compliance. Communicate lessons learned to the wider maritime community through the DGS website.

Key Entities Referenced