Sharing the Water: Safe Boating on Multi-Use Waterways 

 

AWO and the National Safe Boating Council have partnered to create a short video educating recreational boaters on how to safely interact with commercial vessels. The three minute video, Sharing the Water: Safe Boating on Multi-Use Waterways, was released November 13 alongside a series of short videos for social media that will be posted November 13-19. Each one to three-minute clip offers simple, practical guidance on radio use, Rules of the Road, vessel blind spots, maneuvering limits, wake hazards, and why passing arrangements matter. Created for recreational boaters and safety partners across the industry, the video highlights the risks of navigating near large commercial vessels and reflects AWO's and NSBC's shared commitment to proactive public outreach to improve safety for all mariners. To join the video campaign, please contact Lillie Wightman. For more information on AWO's recreational boater safety work, please contact Liam Morcroft.  

 

 

NTSB Safety Alert: Preventing Fuel-Return System Over-Pressurization

October's NTZ highlighted key fire response-preparation practices, including coordinated planning with local fire departments and land-based fire crew training for vessel-specific fire hazards. To close out Fire Safety month, AWO is focusing on a common cause of fires on towing vessels: over pressurized fuel-return lines.

The NTSB released Safety Alert SA-094 about this issue in 2024, sharing learnings from two investigations of engine room fires that occurred when a return-line isolation valve was inadvertently left closed during operation. In both cases, the closed valve led to pressure build-up and fuel line failure, allowing diesel to escape the line and spray onto hot engine surfaces, leading to combustion and a fire. This risk was also the subject of Coast Guard Marine Safety Alert 06-17.

Over-pressurization in fuel-return systems is preventable. Reviewing system design and reinforcing proper valve practices can reduce fire risk and support safe, continuous operations.

 

Coast Guard Refers Uninspected Towing Vessel Incident to Department of Justice 

The Coast Guard's Southeast District has announced its referral of an incident involving an uninspected towing vessel and barge that collided with a sailboat in the Miami area on July 28 -- resulting in the death of three minors and injury of two others -- to the DOJ for potential criminal charges under 18 USC 1115, seaman's manslaughter, against parties involved with the towing company.

AWO's Safety Committees and Recreational Boater Safety Working Group have developed safety resources in partnership with Harbor Safety Committees and other organizations dedicated to boating safety to ensure all waterway users understand how to operate safely on multi-use waterways.

Please contact Liam Morcroft with questions about these resources or to get involved with AWO's Recreational Boater Safety Working Group.

 

Preventing Deck Spills: Lessons from Scupper Plug Incidents

Maritime Global Services, a program administered by ExxonMobil, recently shared two incident reports through the Collective Learning for Incident Prevention (CLIP) program that highlight the importance of scupper plug maintenance and inspection. In both cases, plugs were not reinstalled after prior work and were overlooked during vessel walk-throughs, allowing oil to reach the water when primary containment failed.

CLIP findings remind operators that routine attention to containment details can prevent costly spills. Recommended actions include updating procedures to be sure scupper plugs are reinstalled after removal, ensuring containment is checked for rainwater collection often when barges are fleeted, reviewing checklists to be sure scupper plug checks are included, tracking scupper plugs in Planned Maintenance System (PMS), and reinforcing training on primary and secondary containment verification. Read the full report here: CLIP# 03-2025: Scupper Plug and Management of Containment Areas

A Call to Action: Has your organization experienced a loss of containment due to scupper plug issues on a barge, towing vessel, or other containment area? Please share your experience to help AWO and our industry prevent incidents and improve performance. Contact Michael Breslin to learn more or share best practices.

 

AWO High-Value Near Misses for October

AWO's High-Value Near Miss Program seeks to prevent incidents by sharing lessons learned. Members can record vessel near misses and near misses at terminals by using this simple online form. Bridge events should be recorded by using AWO's Bridge Event Reporting Form.

The events recorded below were recently submitted to AWO. All entries are anonymized prior to publication.

MEMBER-SUBMITTED HIGH-VALUE NEAR MISS* - Fire in Engine Room *This was submitted as a near miss. Typically, a fire should be categorized as an incident, regardless of the resulting impact. Event Description: Shortly after getting underway, a crewmember observed smoke coming from the turbo inlet pipe lagging on a main engine. While investigating, the smoke flashed into a small fire localized to the lagging. The crewmember quickly cooled the area with water and alerted the wheelhouse. The engine was secured, the affected lagging was removed, and an inspection was performed. The inspection determined the likely cause was a minor coolant leak that soaked into the insulation during a recent lay-up period. Once the engine reached operating temperature, the dried coolant concentrate ignited. Early detection prevented the fire from spreading beyond the lagging. Key Takeaways and Suggested Actions: Ethylene glycol, an ingredient in coolant, can ignite at ~750 degrees Fahrenheit. A turbo can operate at that temperature. Insulation hides damage and leaks while also soaking up leaking fluids, creating hidden ignition risks. Inspect and replace lagging that shows staining or residue. Check piping and fittings routinely, especially after downtime.

MEMBER-SUBMITTED HIGH-VALUE NEAR MISS Line-Throwing Rocket PROPULSION PACKS INSTALLED BACKWARDS Event Description: A recent internal inspection found that 3 out of 4 of a vessel's line-throwing appliances had replacement rockets installed upside down, which could easily lead to a malfunction or serious injury. The installer either misunderstood the instructions or did not realize the rockets had a required orientation. Because they are not labeled plainly, the rockets for this type of appliance can easily be installed incorrectly. The company's audit program successfully prevented an incident by identifying this dangerous issue and initiating corrective actions promptly. By sharing its near miss, the reporting company may also help other AWO members prevent the same issue in their organization.  Key Takeaways and Suggested Actions: Rockets may fit into line-throwing appliances in both the correct and incorrect orientation. Training for all mariners with access to line throwing appliances should be conducted during vessel orientation and at regular intervals thereafter. Members may identify qualified personnel responsible for overseeing rocket installation and maintenance. Develop clear policy and procedures to manage this risk. Ensure procedures include requirements to follow manufacturer's recommendations for installation of rockets in line throwing appliances. Double check Line Throwing Appliance rockets on all vessels; correct any rockets installed incorrectly. Confirm expiration date and condition of all rockets; renew or dispose as necessary.

 

SBA Urges Changes to OSHA Heat Illness Prevention Standard

The U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy recently submitted comments to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration regarding its proposed Heat Injury and Illness Prevention standard, which could affect shipyard and tankering personnel in the tugboat, towboat and barge industry. The SBA urged OSHA to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach and instead adopt a flexible, performance-based framework that accounts for different work environments and operational realities. This is consistent with AWO's comments on the proposed rule, which you can read here.

For more information on the OSHA proposal, please contact Lillie Wightman.

 

National Transportation Safety Board - Marine Casualty Investigation Reports

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) publishes accident reports for Marine, Aviation, Highway, Hazardous Materials Release, Pipelines, and Railroads following completion of an investigation. Reports related to vessel operations that have been released since publication of the last safety newsletter are listed below.

• NTSB MIR-25-35 - Contact of Tanker Cosflourish Lake with South Texas Gateway Terminal Dock. On November 14, 2023, at about 1415 local time, the Cosflourish Lake tanker struck protective pilings and two breasting dolphins while docking at the east dock of South Texas Gateway Terminal (STGT) in Ingleside, Texas. The NTSB determined that the probable cause of the allision was the pilot's failure to effectively use tugs on the vessel's bow while docking. Contributing to the allision was the pilot's ineffective and unprofessional communication, as he repeated commands for already completed maneuvers, cursed at the master, and used slang in his orders.
• NTSB MIR-25-37 - Grounding of the Towing Vessel John M Donnelly. On October 30, 2023, at 1610 local time, the towing vessel John M Donnelly was pushing 25 empty dry cargo barges upbound at mile 246.5 on the Lower Mississippi River, near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where it grounded on a submerged obstruction. The NTSB determined that the probable cause of the grounding was the pilot's failure to recognize the hazard posed by the charted obstruction during extremely low water conditions while maneuvering his tow toward the bank to avoid traffic. Contributing to the grounding was a missing channel marker buoy and unusually low water levels.
• NTSB MIR 25-39 Engine Room Fire Aboard Dredging Vessel Stuyvesant. On November 2, 2024, at 1435 local time, the dredging vessel Stuyvesant, with a crew of 22, was holding station in the St. Johns River, near Jacksonville, Florida, when a fire broke out in the engine room. Two crew members were in the machinery space when the fire broke out: only one survived. The NTSB determined the probable cause of the fire was failure to reinstall a lube oil filter housing plug after maintenance of an auxiliary engine, leading to pressurized oil spraying onto the operating port main engine exhaust stack when the auxiliary engine was restarted. Contributing to the incident was a change to the regular crew personnel due to an illness and failure to perform a walkaround inspection after maintenance work.

 

Members are urged to review these alerts to enhance safety measures and prevent incidents. Please contact Michael Breslin for more information.

 

Safety Professional Focus: Michael Draughon

 

American Waterways HERO Award - Nominate Your Crew for Heroic Acts

 

 

 

American Club Shares "Good Catch" About Importance of Communication

 

A recent American P&I Club Good Catch report illustrated how a lack of communication can turn a manageable risk into an expensive lesson.