Tug: unsafe lifting

A marine surveyor received instructions to advise on the stowage and lifting of a tug to be carried onboard a ship from the Far East to Europe. The marine surveyor provided advice as to how the cradle, in which the tug was to be carried, and the stoppers, which were welded to the hull of the tug, should be constructed. The purpose of the stoppers was to prevent the lifting wires from cutting into the sharp edge along the tug’s hull. The marine surveyor also sent a representative to the Far East to supervise the preparations and to confirm that the arrangements for lifting the tug were suitable.

The lifting operations commenced, but, after 30 minutes, they had to be stopped because the stoppers had moved up the side of the tug resulting in the hull being buckled by the lifting slings. The tug had to be dry-docked so that the stoppers could be strengthened and the inside of the hull reinforced with steelworks. Unfortunately, by the time this work was finished the ship had sailed and the tug had to await the arrival of another ship before carriage to Europe. The tug owner claimed his additional costs and losses resulting from the delay from the marine surveyor.