Button trouble

The incident occurred during the cable lay operation. The DP manual override command on the navigation bridge was inadvertently activated, which caused a loss of DP control over six of  the thrusters, resulting in the vessel drifting off position.

Without forward thrust, the vessel was pulled astern by approximately 15 metres due to the action of the cable tensioners. This resulted in a section of the cable, approximately 36 metres in length, being damaged.

The bridge crew managed to manually regain DP control by returning each thruster to DP. The personnel in the working area were accounted for, with no injuries reported, and no damage to other assets or equipment was reported. The cable was secured and laid down in a controlled manner, and the vessel was relocated outside the windfarm to prevent further incidents. An investigation into the cause of the DP loss was initiated.

Investigation revealed that this command was activated inadvertently, leading to the loss of thruster control.

The vessel’s DP Control system was upgraded during a recent vessel life extension. Part of the upgrade included the addition of a manual override button.

This case highlights the critical importance of thorough testing and crew training following the integration of new systems or functionalities on vessels. The incident underscores the potential risks associated with manual overrides and the necessity for stringent controls and fail-safes to prevent inadvertent activations.