Fire in pump room on tanker Bitfjord
Location: Loading berth at the Port of Dundee, Scotland.
Completed PE Summary: Bitfjord
A short summary of the accident and action taken:
| Merchant Vessel/Accident Details | |
|---|---|
| Vessel Name | Bitfjord |
| Registered Owner/Manager | Tarbit Shipping |
| Port of Registry | Skarhamn |
| Flag | Sweden |
| Type | Tanker |
| Classification Society | Lloyds Register |
| Length Overall | 85.2m |
| Gross Tonnage | 1573 |
| Date/Time | 28/04/2005, 0830 |
| Location of Incident | Dundee harbour area |
| Incident Type | Fire |
| Persons Onboard | 8 crew |
| Injuries/Fatalities | None |
| Damage/Pollution | Minor Damage/None |
Synopsis
The bitumen carrier, Bitfjord, suffered a small fire in the pump room while it was alongside her loading berth in the Port of Dundee . The fire was caused by spontaneous combustion of oil-soaked lagging.
Action taken
The Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents has written to the vessel’s owner with advice on the following:
-
Correct entry procedures for enclosed spaces
-
The provision of effective protective coating on cargo pipework insulation to prevent contamination by flammable liquids
-
The importance of inspection and maintenance to avoid flammable liquid spills.
Published 23 January 2015