Norwegian investigations into the incident that occurred on the general cargo vessel Eidsvaag Marin have uncovered serious deficiencies in training and risk assessment. This incident took place in October 2025 and resulted in the death of a sailor who was severely injured while replacing a hydraulic valve block in the ship's loading machinery.
Details of the Incident and Safety Deficiencies
Investigations revealed that disconnecting a hydraulic hose caused the operator's cabin and the lifting frame to move backward, resulting in the sailor being trapped. The locking device specified in the equipment manual was not present on the vessel. Additionally, there were no documented procedures, risk assessments, or job safety analyses for maintenance operations.
The training provided regarding the machinery was limited and heavily relied on the individual experience and capability of crew members. Identified deficiencies in the company's internal inspection systems and external inspections were overlooked.
Post-Incident Actions and Consequences
The owner of the Eidsvaag vessel has taken steps to procure locking devices for vessels with similar machinery and has strengthened crew training programs. Furthermore, safety management has been improved, and new guidelines for operations on vessels have been introduced.
The Norwegian Marine Research Center has also inspected the vessel and issued an order, announcing plans to release a safety notice. Norway's proposed regulations regarding equipment and lifting operations on self-loading vessels will include more specific requirements for training and qualifications related to loading machinery.
The Norwegian Marine Research Center has not issued any official safety recommendations and has referred to actions that have already been taken or are in progress.
