MAIB report details chronic sleep debt and ineffective safety measures
A Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report has shed light on the grounding and subsequent constructive total loss of the prawn trawler Sustain UL 45 in Loch Broom on 16 November, 2023.
The report highlights skipper fatigue, inadequate watchkeeping practices and a lack of proper navigational planning as the primary causes of the accident, which led to the vessel being broken up and removed by specialist divers in early 2024.
The incident occurred as Sustain was returning to Ullapool after its fourth day of a planned eight- to nine-day trip. At approximately 4.46pm on 16 November, 2023, the vessel ran aground on rocks at Rubha Camas a’ Mhaoraich in Loch Broom while making 7.7 knots.
Fortunately, all three crew members were safely evacuated unharmed the following day. However, despite efforts by the crew and the RNLI to refloat her, Sustain remained aground. The vessel was eventually declared a constructive total loss after sustaining significant damage in poor weather.
The MAIB investigation concluded that the sole cause of the grounding was the skipper falling asleep while on watch. The skipper had been awake from about 6am on 15 November to 3am on 16 November (over 21 hours) to repair a deckwash pump.
This immediate sleep deprivation, according to the report, compounded an existing ‘chronic sleep debt’ of 18 hours, accumulated over previous days and trips. It notes that a shorter-than-usual two-day rest period between trips provided insufficient recovery time.
Adding to the conducive environment for falling asleep, the wheelhouse was described as warm and comfortable. While the skipper attempted to combat drowsiness by opening wheelhouse windows and drinking coffee, these measures were insufficient.
The MAIB also pointed to significant deficiencies in Sustain’s operational practices. The vessel was being navigated ‘by eye’ rather than with a properly documented and executed passage plan. This reliance on visual navigation, particularly in the confined waters of Loch Broom’s entrance, left little margin for error.
The vessel’s plotter, which fulfilled basic navigation functions, did not meet the Mini Electronic Chart Display and Information System standard and lacked crucial navigational warning or alarm functionality, such as exceeding off-track limits or deviation from route. Consequently, no alarms were set to warn of the impending danger.
Furthermore, although Sustain’s vessel safety risk assessment, last reviewed on 21 June, 2023, identified ‘ineffective watchkeeping leading to grounding’ as a hazard, the identified control measures were neither effective nor implemented. The assessment suggested calling another crew member if the watchkeeper was tired, and ensuring a watch alarm was fitted and working correctly. However, there was no watch alarm fitted on Sustain, and relying solely on a watchkeeper’s subjective judgment of their own fatigue proved an ineffective measure.
The report acknowledges the financial pressures faced by the skipper, citing increased fuel prices and smaller prawn sizes as likely factors influencing the decision to undertake repairs overnight and depart early. However, this decision ultimately led to the skipper operating in a severely fatigued state, non-compliant with hours of work and rest regulations at the time of the accident.
While no safety recommendations are made in this report due to the operating company no longer owning or operating any fishing vessels, the MAIB has issued a safety flyer to the fishing industry highlighting the lessons to be learned from this accident.
The MAIB emphasises that compliance with minimum rest standards does not always guarantee an individual’s fitness for duty, and that all fishermen bear responsibility for ensuring they are adequately rested before starting work.
By Ned Biggs
This story was taken from the latest issue of Fishing News. For more up-to-date and in-depth reports on the UK and Irish commercial fishing sector, subscribe to Fishing News here or buy the latest single issue for just £3.50 here.
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