PSS responds to MAIB investigation report on Laureline

The Marine Accident Investigation Board (MAIB) has released its investigation report into the fatal accident to a crew member on board on the roll on/roll-off vessel Laureline in July 2024.

The report notes the similar accident which occurred on board the Clipper Pennant in July 2021, and the recommendations from this latest report calls on PSS and the UK Chamber of Shipping to produce industry guidance which takes account of the additional safety lessons learnt from the Laureline investigation.

PSS Chief Executive, Debbie Cavaldoro said: “Incidents such as this are a stark reminder of the risks that remain within vehicle deck operations, particularly where people and moving vehicles interact in close proximity.

“PSS is carefully reviewing the findings and recommendations from this report and will continue working with industry partners, including the UK Chamber of Shipping, to ensure that the lessons identified are translated into practical improvements in how these operations are managed.

“Our focus remains on supporting the sector to prevent harm and ensure that everyone working in and around ports returns home safely at the end of the day.”

In a statement accompanying the publication of the report the Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents, Rob Loder, said “Laureline is the latest in a series of tragic vehicle deck accidents across Europe and is a stark reminder that procedural controls alone are not sufficient to protect workers on Ro-Ro vehicle decks.”

Recommendations

The recommendations call on PSS to work with the UK Chamber of Shipping to develop a jointly agreed and consolidated industry code of practice for vehicle deck safety on ro-on/roll-off vessels. This process is already underway, with interim draft guidance due to be published on the PSS website by the end of April. The Safety in Ports guidance suite already includes two documents on Ro-Ro safety which will be updated to take account of the report recommendations.

The full report can be downloaded from the MAIB webpage here.