There were no facilities on board the Floating Offshore Transfer Barge Spencer Gulf that could be used to provide a safe means of access for personnel transfers between the barge and the ship. Furthermore, the barge operator’s procedures prohibited such personnel transfers.
No action taken
CSL Australia had advised that;
As there is no operational reason for personnel to transfer from the FOTB [Floating Offshore Transfer Barge] to any vessel and the fact that the owners and operators of the FOTB Spencer Gulf would be exposing themselves to unacceptable risks, the policy adopted by them, that the FOTB Spencer Gulf will not be used as a transfer platform for non CSL employees and reserves the right to refuse entry of any vessel without the express permission of the Transhipment Manager, is both prudent and reasonable.
While the ATSB acknowledges CSL Australia’s wish to limit its legal liability, the company should take action to address this safety issue by assisting masters in providing a safe means of access between their ship and the Floating Offshore Transfer Barge Spencer Gulf in accordance with the requirements of Marine Order 21.
The ATSB recommends that CSL Australia should take action to ensure that masters can provide a safe means of access between their ships and the Floating Offshore Transfer Barge Spencer Gulf in accordance with the requirements of Marine Order 21.
