Safety issue

Safety issue description

Portland Bay’s manager, Pacific Basin Shipping, did not provide the master advice about notifying authorities as per the ship’s safety management system emergency procedures, instead focusing on the engineering matters. This probably led to the master delaying the notification and the request for tug assistance.
Issue number MO-2022-006-SI-01
Issue owner Pacific Basin Shipping
Transport function Shore operations
Issue status Closed – Adequately addressed
Date issue released 15/05/2025
Issue status justification

The proactive safety action taken by Pacific Basin includes revised emergency procedures, emergency drills outside of office hours, a fleetwide circular disseminating lessons learned from this incident across the company and a training video based on this incident as a case study that, among other subjects, highlights the importance of early notifications. Collectively, the actions taken are assessed as having adequately addressed this safety issue.
Issue finalisation date 07/05/2025

Safety action

Action type Proactive action
Action number MO-2022-006-PSA-01
Organisation Pacific Basin Shipping
Action description

Pacific Basin Shipping (Pacific Basin) advised the ATSB that the following safety action has been taken to address this safety issue to ensure better compliance with company safety management system procedures by its shipboard and shore personnel:

  • On 1 June 2023, the company’s crisis management manual was revised to include a requirement to conduct at least one drill per annum outside of office hours. One such drill was conducted in 2023 and another one in 2024 to meet this requirement. 
  • On 28 February 2025, a circular emphasising the importance of early reporting to port authorities, vessel traffic services and others in the event of a similar incident was disseminated for the attention of ship and shore teams across the company’s fleet.
  • On 23 April 2025, the company produced a training video using the incident as a case study for seafarer training to enhance the emergency response as per its procedures with an emphasis on the importance of early reporting to port authorities, vessel traffic services and others in the event of such an incident. The office-based crisis management team will be familiarised with the case study video, which also covers other relevant subjects such as machinery maintenance and keeping well clear of land and dangers in heavy weather.
Action status Closed