NOPSA does not undertake the audits necessary for maritime compliance and AMSA is only able to do so, while the facility is on station, with NOPSA’s cooperation. NOPSA had carried out annual occupational health and safety inspections on board the ship and AMSA had carried out the necessary third party audits of the system to meet its certification requirements. However, none of these audits or inspections had identified the discrepancy between the mooring hawser procedures and actual shipboard practices or that the ship’s internal review processes had not identified the discrepancy.
The ATSB acknowledges the safety action taken by NOPSA to address this safety issue.
The Safety Authority has sought ongoing support from AMSA in the provision of marine surveyors to assist the Safety Authority in its inspection of facilities (that can become vessels upon exiting the offshore petroleum regime). AMSA have confirmed its ongoing willingness to assist.
The Authority has reviewed and is using its 'sail-away preparedness' and 'cyclone response preparedness' checklists in inspections of selected facilities. The Authority has increased its target frequency for inspections of normally occupied facilities (including FPSOs and FSOs) from once a year to twice a year, and is actively addressing the consequential requirement for additional OHS Inspectors.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau advises that the National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority (NOPSA) should consider the safety implications of this safety issue and take action where considered appropriate.
