What Crew Members Say About Lavraki

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued a detailed Marine Accident Brief regarding an incident involving the bulk carrier 'Lavraki' on May 30, 2019, at Vopak Terminal in Deer Park, Texas. During the discharge of liquid hexene, there was a significant over-pressurization of both the number 3 port and starboard cargo tanks. Fortunately, the vessel, noted for its double-hulled design, contained all cargo on board without any pollution or injuries reported. However, the incident resulted in substantial financial implications, with vessel damage estimated at $750,000 and losses tied to the contaminated cargo reaching approximately $100,000. The NTSB attributed the primary cause of this over-pressurization and subsequent rupture to the failure of the vessel and terminal personnel to adhere to established protocols related to cargo discharge and nitrogen-blanketing operations. Key factors contributing to the incident included ineffective communication between the 'Lavraki's' crew and terminal personnel, as well as the decision of the vessel's Person In Charge (PIC) to continue with discharge operations despite being unable to establish contact with the terminal. Specifically, when a low-pressure alarm activated on the vessel's hexene tanks, the chief mate attempted multiple times to reach terminal personnel using a handheld radio to request nitrogen assistance, but faced no response from the Vopak PIC (dockman). Unable to communicate with the terminal, the chief officer directed the ship's pumpman to fully open the nitrogen supply valve. Although this should have led to a manageable increase in tank pressure, the expected outcomes did not occur. Instead of halting operations until communication was restored, the chief officer continued to allow the nitrogen valve to remain open, eliminating all throttling control over the nitrogen being introduced. The situation worsened as a result of improper hose configuration; the nitrogen supply hose lacked a one-inch hose or orifice, requiring manual regulation of the nitrogen flow by ship or terminal crew members. This put an enormous strain on the cargo tanks, causing the pressure to rapidly escalate past the relief valve's capacity, ultimately peaking at 15.8 psi (109 kPa), as recorded by the cargo vapor pressure monitoring system. The NTSB's findings underscore the critical need for consistent and effective communication between maritime and terminal operations to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The maritime community was recently alerted to an environmental incident concerning the tanker 'Fairchem Filly'. This ship is reported to have released approximately 200 cubic meters of contaminated tank cleaning water into the North Sea. The disturbances came to light following the vessel's arrival at the port of Hamburg on August 10, 2016. In response, local police initiated an inquiry, focusing on the actions of the ship's crew during its voyage. The ship's 48-year-old Russian captain and 31-year-old first officer from India faced legal consequences in the form of a safety fine totaling €20,797. The alarm was initially raised by traffic control in Wilhelmshaven, which detected unusual navigational behavior from the tanker. Instead of maintaining a direct route from Antwerp to Hamburg, the 'Fairchem Filly' deviated inexplicably towards the economic zones of Denmark and Norway. After being held for investigation, the vessel was released on August 12, 2016, and continued its journey to Southport, USA, with an estimated time of arrival set for August 23, 2016.

On April 1, 2011, at 02:30 UTC, a concerning incident unfolded in the Gulf of Aden involving the vessel FAIRCHEM FILLY (IMO 9323077). While navigating in the westbound lane of the International Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC), approximately 72 nautical miles southeast of Sayhut, Yemen, the FAIRCHEM FILLY was targeted by pirates operating from a skiff. The attack occurred in the coordinates of 14° 5' 0" N, 51° 43' 0" E, raising alarms about maritime security in the region. Eyewitness accounts suggest that a nearby white-hulled fishing vessel was suspected to serve as the PAG mothership, highlighting the persistent threat of piracy in these waters.