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BOW OPEN: The ferry “Husøy” sailed with a partially open bow visor for 55 nautical miles off the coast of Helgeland. The matter was not immediately reported to the Norwegian Maritime Authority. Photo: Kari-Ann Dragland Stangen, Helgelands Blad
Ships that collided with the dock and a ferry that departed with a partially open bow visor are among the incidents that caused a boating stop for Boreal.
The Norwegian Maritime Directorate sent shockwaves along the coast from Rogaland to Finnmark, when the company’s safety management certificate was withdrawn on Wednesday.
More than 40 speedboats and ferries had to dock. Passengers and freight traffic were affected, island communities were isolated. Local politicians were armed.
– This is crazy, said the mayor of Hasvik in Finnmark Eva Husby to VG.
After a crisis meeting with the ministers of Industry, Fisheries and Transport on Wednesday night, the management changed course and granted a temporary navigation permit.
On Thursday morning, the ferries and speedboats were back in operation.
– We apologize to the travelers. We operate an infrastructure for island communities that is completely dependent on us, says group leader in Boreal Norway Kjetil Førsvoll to VG.
COLISADO: The ferry “Alsten” collided with the ferry dock on the coast of Helgeland. The matter was not immediately reported to the Norwegian Maritime Authority. Photo: Kari-Ann Dragland Stangen, Helgelands Blad
Five serious incidents
The Norwegian Maritime Directorate believes that the shipping company’s security system is not meeting targets. At least five serious incidents triggered the strong reaction to Boreal:
November 17, 2020: “Husøy” sails 55 nautical miles from Stokkvågen on Lurøy to Sandnessjøen, with a partially open bow visor and a bulkhead door.
2. November 2020: “Herøysund” collides with the ferry dock at Søvik by Sandnessjøen in the Nordland municipality of Alstahaug. The transmission hatch and rails are partially damaged.
September 24, 2020: “Alsten” collides with the pier. Repairs are carried out at night, while the shuttle launches the connection using only one end.
March 22, 2020: “Herøysund” has a collision with a ferry bridge.
November 20, 2019: “Alsten” collides with tugboat and barge. The ferry passes the Helgeland coast in Nordland.
Nor can Boreal document that the orders from the Norwegian Maritime Authority for the vessels “Haarek”, “Tomma” and “Helgeland” were processed as non-conformities.
Unsure of security management
Dag Inge Aarhus, Director of Communications for the Norwegian Maritime Directorate, tells VG that these incidents alone would not have serious consequences.
– But when we feel insecure about the security management in the transport company, we finally reach a point where we unfortunately have to withdraw the certificate.
Aarhus emphasizes that it is the shipping company’s follow-up that has failed. Good security systems must ensure that serious incidents are not repeated.
Several of the incidents were not reported to the Norwegian Maritime Authority without delay. The shipping company also did not request an inspection for damage or accidents.
The Norwegian Maritime Directorate also believes that the shipping company has not followed up on technical failures in the equipment or carried out risk assessments after the damages and incidents.
– Informing us is not a paper exercise, says Aarhus at the Norwegian Maritime Directorate.
Report failed
The group’s manager at Boreal Norway, Kjetil Førsvoll, says the company has a zero philosophy and should in principle have zero harm to people, equipment and the environment.
– In these cases, we see in hindsight that we have focused more on repairing the damage than on reporting it. There we have failed, Førsvoll tells VG.
He ensures that the company takes the situation very seriously.
– If the Norwegian Maritime Directorate, which is our highest authority, says that it is not good enough, we must clean up and improve, says the head of Boreal.
COLISADO: The ferry “Herøysund” collided with the ferry dock in Sandnessjøen. The matter was not immediately reported to the Norwegian Maritime Authority. Photo: Kari-Ann Dragland Stangen, Helgelands Blad
– It’s not the sailors’ fault
Jørn Halsen, chief shop steward of the Norwegian Seafarers Association at Boreal Sjø AS, says it is the management’s responsibility to deal with these incidents.
– The company management has assured us that the main seafarers’ union delegates cannot be blamed for the conditions denounced by the Norwegian Maritime Directorate, says Halsen.
AL Pier: Boreal’s Kalvøy (left) and Valderøy speedboats are on the Ålesund pier. Photo: Svein Ove Ekornesvåg
Boreal has presented a plan with measures to be implemented, in order to correct the security gaps indicated by the Norwegian Maritime Directorate.
– It takes very seriously
– After receiving the notification for a further audit, immediate measures were implemented to discover the causal factors and take improvement measures, writes Boreal in the audit response on Wednesday.
At status meetings, the shipping company has reviewed the entire safety management system to discover any weaknesses and ambiguities in the procedures.
Boreal recognizes the need for updates to procedures and checklists and admits that new employee training has failed.
– These are conditions that the shipping company has taken very seriously and that are not compatible with our security policy, the shipping company writes to the address.
Address: Plaintiff case
Boreal received a three-month temporary certificate Wednesday night. so that the company can resume normal operations along the Norwegian coast.
The Norwegian Maritime Directorate stated that the case has been demanding.
– What has now come in from the transport company shows that they took our report very seriously, says management communications director Dag Inge Aarhus.
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Correction: An earlier version of this case said that Søvik was near Ålesund. It is true that it is located next to Sandnessjøen in the municipality of Alstahaug in Nordland. This was changed on 12.17.2019. 2020 at 5.12.2020
