Report on work accident on board the Normand Maximus off the coast of Brazil on 21 February 2017
Marine report 2018/06 eng
CSV Normand Maximus was hired by the oil service company Saipem and was to function as a platform at sea for this assignment. In connection with pressure testing of the oilfield’s gas flow system an explosion occurred on the outside deck in the early morning of 21 February 2017. A Baker Hughes employee died as a result of the injuries he sustained. In addition, one person got seriously injured and three persons got minor injuries.
The CSV Normand Maximus is deemed to have been a vessel when it was hired and used by Saipem. Therefore, the regulatory framework governing ships applied to the CSV Normand Maximus during this operation.
No independent party checked or approved whether the functionality of the completed installation was satisfactory for use on board the vessel after the equipment had been installed on deck and was ready for use on the oil field.
The AIBN is of the opinion that an independent check and approval by an external party would have constituted a further barrier that would probably have contributed to the shipping company/vessel being more confident in the performance of their duties as the party responsible for safety on board the vessel.
AIBN submits a safety recommendation to the Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA) on this point.
Safety recommendation
Safety recommendation MARINE No. 2018/07T
The explosion on board the CSV Normand Maximus on 21 February 2017 took place off Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. One person died and four were injured to varying degrees in the accident. The ship was used in a pre-commissioning operation on an oil field. The regulatory framework for ships does not contain requirements that cover the type of operation for which Normand Maximus was used.
The Accident Investigation Board Norway recommends that the Norwegian Maritime Authority carry out an assessment of whether the current regulatory framework is sufficient to ensure safety on board offshore vessels engaged in complex national and international operations for the petroleum industry.
Facts
| Location | Brazilian waters |
| Occurrence date | 21.02.2017 |
| Accident category | Personal injury |
| Area | Other Nation's Territorial Waters |
| IMO number | 9744518 |
| Name of vessel | Normand Maximus |
| Accident type | Fatal Accident |
| Vessel type | Special Purpose Ship |
| Register | The Norwegian International Ship Register |