Five Suffocate During Bulk Cargo Vessel Discharge [Martapura Baru, Indonesia – 24 February 2018]

Posted by admin on Feb 25, 2018 in Bulletins

With great regret, Blueoceana Company has been made to understand that five individuals (four longshoremen and one paramedic) suffocated to death aboard the Indonesian flagged M/V SUMIEI last night at the Indonesian port of Martapura Baru.

Media reports (see links below) relate that M/V SUMIEI was carrying a cargo of palm kernels (an oxygen depleting commodity within enclosed spaces) in its afterend  hold. On docking, the hatch cover tarp and hatch cover were removed and the vessel’s crew members (as told in at least two of the media reports) warned shoreside personnel not to enter the hold until two hours time had passed for some natural ventilation to occur.

Those warnings were apparently disregarded by the workers (and/or their supervisors), and initial cargo discharge preparations were undertaken.

From what we understand the first two workers into the hatch were overcome by the oxygen deficient atmosphere, whereupon another worker attempted his rescue and was himself overcome. From there the circumstance cascaded, as one more worker and then a paramedic succumbed in a similar manner.

A litany of errors are apparently evident, coming from both the shore and the ship. What’s worth considering, amongst other factors, is whether recently enacted IMO requirements dealing with deadly/noxious atmosphere detection aboard internationally trading vessels were fully complied with.

Link to Media Account:  5 Died on Ship Loaded with Palm Kernel (022518)

Link to Media Account:  Police Investigate the Killing of Five People aboard MV SUMIEI (022518)

Link to Media Account:  Five people were killed allegedly due to inhalation of poison gas on board the MV Sumiei (022518)

Link to Media Account:  Five People Gas Poisoning on Ship MV Sumiei (022418)