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Sailing into stormy waters
Page 20
Page 21
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Two ferry accidents have exposed the lack of compliance when it comes to securing freight on the part of both operators and the shipping industry.
Words: Chris Tindal!
ALMOST ALL FREIGHT vehicles boarding ferries at UK ports fail to meet the international standards regarding sufficient lashing points, according to a recent investigation, and commercial pressure is preventing ferry companies enforcing these requirements.
A government report into how an articulated tanker crashed through the stern doors of a ferry has exposed the woefully small number of vehicles fitted with the right amount of ferry securing rings.The report's conclusion has raised fears that more accidents are likely to happen unless the industry radically overhauls its safety regimes.
Trailer-makers have told CM they are unsurprised at the findings, because less scrupulous operators arc able to buy trailers in the second-hand market and put them on ferries with no obligation to ensure they are fit for purpose.
Meeting the guidelines
The report was prompted by an accident in which a Turners (Soham) tanker was revealed not to have its parking brake applied when the Stella Line ferry Voyager sailed out of Loch Ryan back in January.
In addition, the vehicle didn't comply with national and international codes of practice concerning the fitting of ferry securing rings — something Turners (Soham) managing director Paul Day has now vowed to correct. However, inspectors for the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) who analysed the tanker accident in Scotland found that of the numbers of semi-trailers boarding a Stella Line vessel at Holyhead, a massive 95% did not comply with ISO standards on securing rings. No tractor units inspected were fitted with any securing rings.
The inspectors also discovered that the Voyager failed to meet the guidelines for the number and interval of securing points fitted across the deck — Siena Line has now rectified this.
This matter received greater prominence because the MAIB has recently completed its report into another ferry incident, in which cargo
safety in the roll-on roll-off (RO-RO) industry came under the spotlight.
This time, the Bahamian-registered vessel Riverdance ran aground and became stranded on the Shell Flats, off Cleveleys Beach, I ,a ncash ire.
The report into the incident found that its cargo was not properly secured in the trailers. It stated: "Hauliers and shippers don't recognise the importance of securing the contents of trailers destined to be transported by sea."
Turnaround times
Trailer manufacturer Don-Bur states it is "absolutely" aware of the need for ferry rings. Marketing director Richard Owens says: "If it is specced for a ferry crossing, we put it in, cost it and build it."
But, he adds. he wouldn't be too shocked if the requirement dropped out of a spec "to keep costs down': lie continues:"I'm not surprised that operators go out and buy the cheapest curtainsider on the market. Of course, I have no evidence of that, hut I suspect that's the case purely because of the way stock items are purchased."
SDC Trailers says it includes ferry rings for all the chassis it builds, but sales director Paul Bratton says he is not shocked at the MA IB's findings, adding: "It's a possibility, because you haven't got any control over what customers buy secondhand."
But Bratton says the introduction of type-approval legislation means most trailer manufacturers now know what they should be including.
The Department for Transport was asked by CM if. it believed that ferry operators had been placing turnaround times before safety issues, hut it hadn't responded as we went to press.
Stena Line also did not respond, but a statement reveals it will comply with the MAIB recommendations.
VOSA was asked whether or not it has now included securing rings in its roadside checks, as recommended by the MAIB. It was also asked if it would comment on the Freight Transport Association's (FTA) concerns that this procedure was unrelated to the agency's road safety remit, but a spokeswoman would only say that it "is considering the recommendation and will be working with MAIB to explore how VOSA can [provide] support in a way that reduces the risk of a recurrence of the incident as far as practicable': Turners boss Day says the majority of his trailers have ferry securing rings fitted, and he is ensuring this is the case with all of them.
The tanker that fell off the ferry was one of the last not to have had a 'handbrake off alarm — something which is now fitted as standard. •
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