Port of Bridgwater – Marine Risk Assessments – September 2020. Contents: Page Introduction ………………………………………. 1 Defining Hazards and Risk ………………………………………. 2 Hazards, Risks and Control measures 1) Seaward Approach ………………………………………. 3 2) Narrow channel with sharp bends ………………………………………. 4 3) Shallow tidal river, dries at LW ………………………………………. 5 4) Strong tidal streams ………………………………………. 6 5) Shifting river bed ………………………………………. 7 6) Wind and Weather ………………………………………. 8 7) Drying berths ………………………………………. 9 8) Berthing and unberthing Dunball ………………………………………. 10 9) Berthing and unberthing Combwich ………………………………………. 11 10) Passing other vessels in the River ………………………………………. 12 11) Fire ………………………………………. 13 12) North Sea barges to Combwich ………………………………………. 14 Introduction The Port Marine Safety Code requires all harbour authorities to ensure that all risks are formally assessed and are as low as reasonably practicable in accordance with good practice. This document records the review of assessments conducted in September 2020. The assessments were undertaken in accordance with the PMSC which states: - Functions to which the Code applies 1.4. The Code is concerned with harbour authority responsibilities for port marine safety but does not purport to cover all the duties and responsibilities of harbour authorities, or even all their safety responsibilities. The Code does not, for example, relate to duties and responsibilities deriving from health and safety legislation, and (with some exceptions) those relating to the safety of vessels under the Merchant Shipping Acts. However, it has been designed so that compliance with the good practice guidance in the Code should be fully compatible with compliance with harbour authorities’ other duties and responsibilities. Use formal risk assessment 3.5 The risks associated with marine operations need to be assessed and a means of controlling them needs to be deployed. The aim of this process is to eliminate the risk or, failing that, to reduce risks to as low as reasonably practicable. Formal risk assessments should be used to: • identify hazards and analyse risks; • assess those risks against an appropriate standard of acceptability; and • where appropriate, consider a cost-benefit assessment of risk reducing measures. 3.6 Risk assessments should be undertaken by people who are qualified or appropriately skilled to do so, especially when deciding which techniques to use and when interpreting the results. Risks should be judged against objective criteria, without being influenced by the financial position of the authority, to ensure they are kept as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP). The greater the risk, the more likely it is that it is reasonable to go to the expense, trouble and invention to reduce it. There is a preferred hierarchy of risk control principles • eliminate risks - by avoiding a hazardous procedure, or substituting a less dangerous one; • combat risks - by taking protective measures to prevent risk; • minimise risk - by suitable systems of working. 3.7 The process of assessment is continuous, so that new hazards to navigation and marine operations and changed risks are properly identified and addressed. Where appropriate, harbour authorities should consider publishing relevant details of their risk assessments. 1 September 2020 Hazards and Risks IMO Guidelines define a hazard as “something with the potential to cause harm, loss or injury” the realisation of which results in an accident. The potential for a hazard to be realised can be combined with an estimated (or known) consequence of outcome. This combination is termed “risk”. Risk is therefore a measure of the frequency and consequence of a particular hazard. One way to compare risk levels is to use a matrix approach: - At the low end of the scale, frequency is extremely remote and consequence minor; risk can be said to be negligible. At the high end, where hazards are defined as frequent and the consequence catastrophic, then risk is very high. In the assessments within this document we have listed the Hazards, assessed the Risk without control measures, (Low, Medium or High) listed the Consequences and Control Measures, and then considered if the resulting risk meets the ALARP principle. The Risk assessments for the Port of Bridgwater are routinely reviewed annually, or as required following an incident within the harbour. During the routine, or incident led reviews, new risk control measures (or changes to existing risk control measures) may be identified for consideration, both where there are gaps in existing procedures and where risk controls need to be enhanced. Care is taken to ensure that any new hazards created as a result are themselves identified and managed. 2 September 2020 1. SEAWARD APPROACH The seaward approach to the River Parrett has an extensive bar on it. The pilot station is at the Brue Beacon, well in-shore from the bar. The No.1, No. 2 and No. 3 buoys dry at low water and may drag in strong Westerly weather. Hazard 1a; A master, making a mistake in the navigation and running aground out of the channel. Risk Level (Without Control Measures): Medium/High Consequences: Most probable – Vessel grounded on sand/mud refloating on the same or following tide. Worst Possible – Vessel stranded. Control Measures: a. Navigation aids in the approaches; No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 Buoys, Sectored Light, transit on Burnham sea front. b. Periodic Hydrographic surveys of approach channel, results passed to UKHO. Ships using up to date and fully corrected charts/ECDIS. c. Radar station at Burnham, used by the Pilots as required during inbound ship approaches to monitor vessels transiting Stert Flats in order to provide passage reference information (timings and tide levels) to enable bridge teams to assess position and under-keel clearance. The equipment comprises a solid state radar. All covered by a UPS to allow sufficient back-up time for a passage over the sands. d. Masters are given advice by e-mail where possible prior to their arrival, and by radio on arrival, on when to start their approach, to pass safely over the bar and to arrive at the pilot station at the correct time for a safe passage up-river. e. Regular checks are made on the position and state of the buoys and navigation marks for the seaward approaches. A GPS tracker has been fitted to No.1 Buoy. f. Use of local Notices to Mariners as required. Notes: The small coastal vessels which use the port, with advice from the pilot station, rarely have difficulties finding their way into Burnham-on-Sea. Regular visitors to the Port do not normally request/require the shore based radar support. Resultant Risk: As Low as Reasonably Practicable 3 September 2020 2. NARROW NAVIGABLE CHANNEL WITH SHARP BENDS The eight miles of River Parrett Pilotage pose a series of hazards to ships. Hazard 2a; The narrow channel with sharp bends, most notable at Windmill Point and the right-angled bend at Nine Streams. Hazard 2b; Is of a vessel going out of the channel from interaction, mechanical failure or human error, and running aground. Hazard 2c; Would be of a vessel becoming set across the channel and drying out at low water. This could raise the possibility of it breaking its’ back and blocking the river to all traffic. Risk Level (Without Control Measures): Medium/High Consequences: Most probable – Vessel grounded on sand/mud refloating on the same or following tide. Worst Possible – Vessel breaking its back. Control Measures: a. A full pilot / master exchange is carried out when the pilot boards any ship. Any mechanical or crew shortcomings are assessed on the spot as far as possible, to determine if the ship is fit to proceed up-river. b. Lighted Navigation beacons onshore and No. 4 and 5 Buoys. c. All inward transits of the river are carefully timed to take place in the period before high water, optimising the time and water depth available to deal with any problems, which may arise. d. Pilot training and frequent visual surveys, use of periodic hydrographic / bathymetric surveys. e. Regular checks are made on the position and state of the navigation marks. f. Use of local Notices to Mariners as required. Resultant Risk: As Low as Reasonably Practicable 4 September 2020 3. SHALLOW TIDAL RIVER WHICH DRIES AT LOW WATER There is only enough water in the river for sea-going vessels at high water springs. This imposes constraints on shipping. Hazard 3a; Is of delays to a vessel for any reason during the river passage, resulting in the vessel taking the bottom on the dropping tide. Hazard 3b; With a high pressure weather system or strong Easterly winds causing the tide to ‘cut’, and fail to reach predicted height. Risk Level (Without Control Measures): Medium Consequences: Most probable – Vessel grounded on sand/mud refloating on the same or following tide. Worst Possible – Neaped for a number of days. Control Measures: a. Navigation on the River Parrett is dominated by the need to time passages to suit the tide, and all movements are planned accordingly. At times vessels drafts may have to be adjusted to take account of “cutting” tides. b. There are tidal boards at Combwich Wharf, Walpole and on Bibby’s Wharf. The pilots closely monitor these during transits. A ship’s passage can be aborted if there is insufficient depth of water. c. Pilots check the actual tidal heights on the previous three tides when weather conditions favour “cutting” tides. Actual tidal heights can be obtained from the National Tidal and Sea Level website from data buoys at Hinkley Point or Avonmouth. Alternatively the Bristol Port Company signal station at Avonmouth will give details of actual tidal performance against prediction. Notes: Historically and very occasionally vessels moving early on the tide inbound have found insufficient water at Ninestreams, and after a pause of a few minutes and a reduction in RPM have continued safely to the berth.