Near-miss: Cargo shifted in heavy seas whilst alongside platform

  • Safety Flash
  • Published on 30 June 2016
  • Generated on 2 July 2025
  • IMCA SF 17/16
  • 2 minute read

A member has reported an incident in which there was an unplanned movement of freight containers on a platform supply vessel. 

What happened?

The incident occurred during rough weather whilst the vessel was engaged in deck cargo and fuel transfer alongside a platform. The vessel, which was positioned down-wind and with starboard stern quarter to weather, was hit by a sudden and unexpected squall. The vessel was designed with a low bulwark.

The weather and sea conditions at the time of the incident were wind 25 knots, swell 3m. One larger squall wave hit the stern and flooded the back deck. The water shifted one container and overturned another. The back-loaded containers had not yet been secured due to on-going back-loading.

There were no injuries, no spills, and no external damage to the containers.

Containers on supply vessel

Our member noted the following:

This near miss incident was potentially very serious, and the incident has been treated as a potential fatality. The following lessons were learnt:

  • The risk of abnormal waves should be taken into consideration in risk assessment and tool box talks for work, particularly when the vessel is positioned stern to weather.
  • Greater emphasis should be placed on the ‘stop work policy’ – anyone should be able to stop the job, any time, when in doubt.
  • A new and higher bulwark will be fitted to this and similar vessels working in these waters.

Latest Safety Flashes:

NTSB: Vessel crane contact with shore-side crane

The National Transportation Safety Board of the United States (NTSB) has published a report and an investigation.

Read more
Dropped pallet during forklift operation

A pallet containing a load weighing 500kg dropped off a flatbed truck in close proximity to a delivery driver.

Read more
Dropped object hazard: access hatch to the communication dome

During a routine scheduled safety inspection of the main mast, it was discovered that the access hatch to one of the communication domes had fallen off.

Read more
Lock out/Tag out and unauthorised electrical connections/disconnections
Read more
MAIB: Is your Lead-Acid battery safe?

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch has published Safety Digest 1/2025, consisting of lessons from recent Marine Accident Reports.

Read more

IMCA Safety Flashes summarise key safety matters and incidents, allowing lessons to be more easily learnt for the benefit of the entire offshore industry.

The effectiveness of the IMCA Safety Flash system depends on the industry sharing information and so avoiding repeat incidents. Incidents are classified according to IOGP's Life Saving Rules.

All information is anonymised or sanitised, as appropriate, and warnings for graphic content included where possible.

IMCA makes every effort to ensure both the accuracy and reliability of the information shared, but is not be liable for any guidance and/or recommendation and/or statement herein contained.

The information contained in this document does not fulfil or replace any individual's or Member's legal, regulatory or other duties or obligations in respect of their operations. Individuals and Members remain solely responsible for the safe, lawful and proper conduct of their operations.

Share your safety incidents with IMCA online. Sign-up to receive Safety Flashes straight to your email.