Bourbon Dolphin capsizes

For those of you (like me) not familiarized with OSV - AHTS operations, this document may be of interest.

 

Nice to see and up to the standard expected from the Norwegians! However (it may have changed since I was in the game but .............if you believe that you'll believe anything) other people have lower standards and a lot of the time "Operational Requirements" mean it's not adhered to quite as much as liked! couple of things caught my eye _ the Master is at all times responsible for the safety of his ship and crew and should stop work to ensure this standard is maintained (he will probably be sacked the minute he does but.....it's still his fault if it all goes wrong) a full cargo list will be supplied and time given so that the Master can plan his deck etc - right so the lorry arriving just on completion of loading without any warning with the threat "they need this NOW" shouldn't be loaded! Again it's the Master's fault - see above about employment - see now why I never became a Master!

Nice if followed but as I'm sure most "supply boat men" (especially the older ones) will tell you "never happen" - the problem discussed earlier gives a fine example of this! the Master will "carry the can" even tho' it's obvous a lot of things were beyond his control! I feel for the man, and his family especially the circumstances!! as if he didn't have enough problems

 

Little damp there Cappy Chuk, that'd sit you down on yer backside no problem - is that an old OSA boat? looks it!

 

Stability Program

Thanks Guillermo - I was trying but kept getting knocked off. The internet connection we are using isn't that strong out here. I think I finally got it!

Here is the stability program that I hashed out of the stability booklet that was supplied with the vessel.
It isn't very sophisticated, but it sure beats having to try and solve it longhand.

View attachment Stability2007.xls

The way we use it is by just keeping the 'loadsheet' updated. I know that I will probably get flack for having the deck cargo just broken down into three zones, but that seems to be working for us. It is usually within an inch or two of our observed drafts.

The major change that I did was make the liquid mud account for the actual weight of the liquid mud - the stability book has the tables figured for 22 ppg mud only.

I'm sure that the BD had a far more sophisticated stability program - and a few more tanks to account for (passive roll tanks, etc.) - but this may give some basic insight into a vessel somewhat similar in size.
--Chuck

 

When I get a better internet connection (poaching the internet off a boat next to us) I will try and upload the official anchor handling manual from one of the big players (hopefully won't step on any copyrighted toes). It is interesting reading for basic anchor handling operations.
--Chuck

That was a wet day there Walrus. Bring back some memories about wanting to tend a farm? That was the Seacor Valor hooking up to a semi down in Mexico - it is one of the 8,000 anchor handlers Seacor built around 1999-2000. New boat - old design.
--Chuck

 

Chuck,
I've just had a quick look to your spreadsheet and I think you've done a very nice job! I'm going saling now for a week, so no time to check it thoroughly. I'll do that when I come back.
Cheers.

 

Cheers for that Chuck, explains it! if she had have been an old OSA boat she'd have been rather more beat up than that one! (and panel beating 10mm steel ain't easy! so she'd have ben left - see what you mean about a farm! To think I was actually brought up on a farm (until I was six) and went to sea! Must be a moral there somewhere!

Mike - the 'Walrus

 

Happy sailing,Guillermo - I know you will be well fed since you have an aspiring chef making fresh bread!

 

http://www.marinesafetyforum.org/upload-files//safety-alert-notice/msf-safety-flash-07.17.pdf

 

Good information acearch - looks a bit cumbersome to implement. I still wonder if a big point is being missed. What happens if a anchor handler is at 100 percent power with maximum load at the stern and they lose power? - that's my big question.

It would be interesting to do tow tank tests with an AHTS vessel like the BD getting pulled astern with a large force pulling down on the stern.

 

This is just the classic case of closing the barn doors after the horses are out. And in this case they are also locking them tight.

While I suppose we can design a vessel to meet these criteria, it is going to be pretty hard to handle anchors when you can't get any water on your deck. To do this it is going to require much higher freeboard vessels with very low weight to reduce rolling, which leads to very stiff vessels which are horrible sea boats for the crew.

An accident is an accident and unfortunately they happen. Learn and go on with business, but don't come up with regulations so severe that an entire industry is penalized.

 

Chuck, asearch,

What struck me is the noticeable absence of language to the effect that "no captain will suffer job action in any way, and no anchor handling company will suffer loss of contract or discriminationatory practices in any way, for invoking safety limitations as a reason to cease any anchor handling operation" or some equivalent. Safety regulations inevitably come up against deadlines and budgets. It was mentioned earlier in this thread that captains who refused operations were often replaced by demand of the rig owners. These new regulations won't help unless there is an industry-wide commitment to avoiding putting boats and crews in extreme situations.

 

I can foresee some real problems when they try to implement their criteria for tandem anchor handling.

We just finished a job where we were setting out storm systems on the rig Ocean Quest. The vessel paying chain out of their locker (like the BD) would pay out until the chain tension was high enough to cause the chain to start jumping on the chain whelp. Then the other vessel would come in and J-lock the chain to relieve the weight of th system and let the vessel pay out some more chain. This was done two-three times for each system that was set-out.

To do this operation the vessel paying out the chain has to increase power to bring the chain to a favorable angle for the J-lock to hook. Then, the vessel J-locking the chain has to pay out enough wire to bring the lock below the chain in the system (the depth depends on the distance behind the other vessel). Then, once the chain was locked into the system, the J-lock is brought up to 100' below the stern roller. The other vessel starts to decrease power which relaxes the whole system and makes for an interesting ride as both boats get pulled back towards the rig. Once the power is back down to a minimum the vessel can continue paying out chain.

My question is how in the hell can you use "towing hooks" to cause an instant release? The vessel J-locking the system has to pick up and pay out thousands of feet of wire to accomplish this operation - and the other vessel has chain going out of the locker and around the whelp on the winch. I can't see where a vessel paying chain out of a locker on the vessel would have much luck at getting free of the system in any circumstance. I believe that even if the winch would be released the chain would have a very good chance of getting jammed at some point while being ripped out of the locker. What could be used? High explosives? Maybe a huge hydraulic guillotine?
--Chuck

 

I don't find the absense of that language as anything unusual. If you look through IMO resolutions most of the language places the Master's body parts firmly on the chopping block. The biggest pressure we have out in the Gulf now are the operations during hurricane season. Right now I am sure my relief is having a battle with the rig we are working. They want to start a rig move and there is hurricane Dean looking like it is coming into the Gulf.

I am very glad I am able to contemplate the whole situation over a cold beer or two enjoyed in my livingroom. I wish him the best of luck, and can only hope that is isn't stuck on a system or towing the rig when Dean decides to charge into the Gulf.

Last year another company ended up with a AHTS towing a rig during a hurricane in 60+ foot seas. They came very close to disaster when their fuel filters started clogging. They were litterally having to rinse the fuel filters out and reusing them as the other filters got plugged. They were rotating filters like that for 24 hours. They got lucky.

Remember: "Safety First!..as long as it doesn't cost us more money."

 

Hi Chuck,
I agree with what you have said there. It will be interesting to see what "quick release" systems get developed, but as always it will be on the master.
Had a situation where work was refused for safety reasons, another vessel was called and he said yep can do, off he went well we ended up escorting him back to port as he punched a number of bridge windows in and drowned alot of his gear, luckily no one injured (as far as I know). We got to port and I got a grilling for why work was refused, I was the Ch Mate, can only imagine what the old man got.