German ship owner implements recommendations after near tragedy in Londonderry

A photograph of the Blue Note published in a report into an accident in Londonderry last July in which three sailors were lucky to escape with their lives. The picture was provided to the MAIB by Juergen Braker.

Three crewmen were lucky not to die when a crane slipped on board the Blue Note cargo ship in Londonderry on July 21, 2011, throwing its Chief Officer into the Foyle and leaving another sailor dangling over the 8.4 metres hold.

Flying under the flag of Antigua and Barbuda it had arrived in Londonderry with a cargo of soda ash from Turkey on July 21.

According to MAIB’s recently published annual report for 2012, the Reederei-Meyering Gmbh - the Haren-based owner of the Blue Note - has accepted and fully implemented a raft of recommendations arising from the incident.

MAIB told the company it must: “Ensure that crews on its vessels comply with the intent of the International Safety Management Code and applicable national and international lifting equipment regulations by: the establishment of formal written risk assessments of shipyard activities; the provision of equipment planned maintenance schedules and systems for recording maintenance of repairs; ensuring that all relevant manufacturers’ manuals for operating and maintaining equipment are maintained on board its vessels; the introduction of a requirement for specific training and a competence check for those crew members involved in the operation of gantry trains to fulfil the requirement of familiarisation training.”