March 2007 | Page - 1
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Sixty Eight Engineering Cadets Pass Out from SIMS
All have secured first class while 15 secured honours marks. Cadet Abhilash Mani won the Gold medal while Cadet Himesh K.P bagged the Silver for their General Proficiency.

The Second batch of GME cadets successfully stepped out of SIMS, Lonavala for their second phase of training on board ESM ships at an impressive function held at the scenic campus of the institute on 22nd February, Thursday.

Chief Guest of the event Mr. Ajoy Chatterjee, Chief Surveyor, Government of India took the salute in the grand passing out parade and later handed over the awards to meritorious cadets at a separate function held at the institute’s brand new auditorium. 

Addressing all the cadets Mr. Chatterjee recalled his sailing experience and advised the new entrants to the industry on the life on board. He emphasized the need for the right attitude, right behaviour and remaining focused to bring about the excellence in their jobs.

He pointed out that although life at sea is by no means easy, it brings about more job satisfaction than working ashore and this is his own personal experience.
Another highlight of the function was the entertainment programme prepared and presented by the cadets- both DNS and GME branches, which kept the entire audience, enthralled for the entire period.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Ajoy Chatterjee was shown around the 55-acre campus, which boasts of world-class facilities including the biggest solar power project in Asia. The campus produces
a large part of its own electricity and the entire hot water requirements by solar power. He was particularly impressed with the recently completed auditorium with top class acoustic and sitting arrangements. Another fast progressing project, which drew much attention and appreciation from Mr. Chatterjee, was the ship-in-campus project, which promises to be one of its kind in the entire maritime training field of the world.
Inadequate Protection
*Note: This monthly safety moment is collected from various sources for educational purpose and is not an actual incident from the ESM fleet.

A container ship was moored at tidal river berth after completion of discharging, awaiting shifting to a dry dock the following morning. Access to the ship was via the starboard accommodation ladder. From 0030 the duty deck officer remained on the bridge, correcting charts, and the duty AB remained inside the accommodation, laying deck coverings.

The duty AB was relieved at 0300, but he continued to lay deck coverings. After being informed of the tasks he was expected to complete during his watch, the oncoming AB went on deck to check the accommodation ladder. He saw that the inner rail had become lodges against the davit arm as the tide had fallen. The AB working inside the accommodation was alerted, and as the ship was due to shift berths in 2 hours, the two ABs decided to stow the ladder.

They removed the safety net and the pins securing the inner rail to the vertical stanchions at the end of the ladder. However, the inner rail remained wedged against the davit arm. After slackening the aft spring, which was possibly pushing against the upper platform of the ladder, one of the able seamen descended the ladder. As he did so, the other AB, who was standing on the ladder’s upper platform, managed to pull the rail free. But the sudden release of the rail caused him to fall backwards over the rope protection fitted at the top of the ladder, which was only 65cm high. As he fell from the platform, the AB hit a large berthing fender, before landing in the water 8 meters below. The remaining AB heard his shipmate fall, and immediately ran to the position on the quay adjacent by the fender. The casualty was lying facedown in the water and was motionless.

The AB alerted the duty officer by hand-held VHF radio. He also grabbed a life ring, but did not throw it into the water because he could no longer see the AB in the water and did not want to hit him with it. The duty

officer quickly attended the scene, before advising the master of what had happened. The master informed the local authorities and, although a search by the local river police was quickly initiated, the AB’s body was not found.

Following the accident the ship’s bulwark was modified to enable guard rails to be secured at a greater height.

LESSONS LEARNT
•
To be effective, bulwarks, guard rails, guard wires and chains need to be at least 1meter high. In this case, both the ladder and bulwark had been inspected during separate surveys, and both were deemed to meet the required standard: the platform was fitted with 1 meter high stanchions and the deck with 1 meter bulwarks. However, when the ladder was rigged in situ, the rope between the two was only 65cm at its lowest point and therefore afforded inadequate protection.
•
The code of safe working practice requires that when working at heights of 2 meters or more, a safety harness or a belt should be worn when working over the side. Neither was worn on this occasion. A safety harness would have prevented the AB from falling, and a lifejacket would have kept him afloat even if he was unconscious. 
•
In tidal harbour, mooring lines and means of access to and from a ship need to be frequently monitored and adjusted.
•
General alarms should be used whenever a quick response is required from the crew, regardless of whether a ship is at sea or in port. Had the duty officer sounded the alarm immediately after the accident to the AB was reported to him, the crew could have quickly initiated an intensive search, possibly involving the ship’s rescue boat, before the river police arrived.
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