Safety Flash
Dynamic positioning (DP) vessel blackout
Dynamic positioning (DP) vessel blackout
- IMCA
- Safety Flash
- IMCA SF 06/02
- DivingElectrical SafetyEmergency ResponseMarine Operations
- Ageing, life extension and obsolescenceLoss of station keeping
- Dynamic positioningSaturation diving
- Diving bell
- Emergency responsePre-use checksPreventive maintenanceRisk assessment
- Marine industry
- Vessel
Summary
A saturation-diving vessel suffered a complete blackout and moved some 190 m before control was regained. Divers were recovered without injury. Investigation identified degraded power-management electronics and management-system weaknesses. Recommendations address replacement of the ageing system, UPS maintenance and testing, broader redundancy analyses and revised diving emergency arrangements.
Classifications: Ageing, life extension and obsolescence.
Classifications: Loss of station keeping; drive-off; drift-off.
Classifications: Dynamic positioning; DP; DP operations.
Classifications: Saturation diving; sat diving.
Classifications: Diving bell; closed bell; wet bell.
Classifications: Emergency response; emergency preparedness.
Classifications: Pre-use checks; pre-use inspection.
Classifications: Preventive maintenance; preventative maintenance; planned maintenance.
Classifications: Risk assessment; hazard assessment.
Classifications: Marine industry; shipping industry; maritime sector.
Classifications: Vessel; aboard ship; onboard vessel.
Summary
A dynamic-positioning vessel lost all electrical power and station keeping while divers were deployed, requiring rapid recovery and restoration.
IMCA SF 06/02. Themes: diving, electrical safety, emergency response, marine operations.