In the winter of 2025, the Norwegian Maritime Authority received several accident reports related to the deployment and hauling of various fishing gear such as trawl, purse seine, and Danish seine. These are high-risk operations involving heavy equipment under tension and in motion, requiring manual effort since they cannot be fully automated.
Over the past six months, we have experienced challenging working conditions on board various vessels due to strong winds and rough seas. We therefore want to remind everyone of the importance of preparing the vessel for sea and securing loose equipment in bad weather.
During fishing operations, smoke was observed via camera in the cargo and freezer room of the vessel, and the fire alarm was triggered. The fire originated from an electric forklift.
On board a vessel, a starter battery for an auxiliary engine exploded. The batteries on board were purchased as maintenance-free and had a replacement interval of 5 years in the vessel's maintenance system.
A fisherman escaped unscathed when his foot got caught between the end rope and the anchor during a routine operation. He was about to throw out an end of a fishing line but placed his foot in the wrong spot.
When sailing in the dark or in reduced visibility, navigation becomes more challenging than in daylight and good weather. What can be done to improve safety?
In this “Lessons learned,” we will provide an example of what you should have prepared in case of an incident onboard. Adapt this to your own vessel and operations as part of the safety management system.
On board a large sea-going fishing vessel, the engineer was to repair a conveyor belt between the factory deck and the cargo hold. Access to the drive chain, which needed repair, was tight and difficult. Additionally, the cargo hold maintained a temperature of -30 degrees Celsius.
