Brazil

Bunkering - New safety precautions - Santos

Petrobras, the state oil company responsible for supply of bunkers, has issued safety instructions following a fatal accident involving an inspector of a bunker barge, who fell from a pilot ladder of a vessel receiving bunkers.

During all bunkering operations an operational safety inspector from the firm Technimar, a company contracted by Petrobras will assist, with no cost to owners. This inspector will verify whether safety procedures under the international maritime conventions are being adhered to, by both the attending barge and by the vessel being replenished with bunkers. Attention will be paid to the vessel's access ladder by the inspector. The access ladder "quebra-peito" used for transit between the vessel and attending barge will only be found to be acceptable if it complies with IMO-SOLAS standards. It is also compulsory for the vessel to have one crew member stand-by at the top of the ladder every time the ladder is being used by Petrobras' safety inspector or by a crew member of attending barge.

If these procedures are not completed Petrobras will not proceed with the bunkering process.