On the quiet morning of June 27, 2022, the crew aboard the bulk carrier Berge Mawson, anchored off Bunyu Island, Indonesia, was expecting another routine day of cargo operations. The ship, registered under the Isle of Man, was mid-operation, loading coal from nearby barges using a floating crane. But before noon, a tragic accident would leave three men dead — not from the sea’s fury, but from the quiet, invisible danger lurking below deck.
⚠️ A Routine Turned Tragic
As heavy tropical rain poured down, cargo loading came to a temporary halt. Following standard procedure, all cargo hold hatches were shut to protect the coal. Once the rain eased, stevedores — the shoreside workers responsible for loading and unloading cargo — prepared to resume operations.
One stevedore was assigned to access a bulldozer inside cargo hold No.7. But in a simple, yet fatal error, he opened the hatch to the access space of cargo hold No.8 instead — a narrow, sealed chamber with no fresh airflow. Within moments, he lost consciousness.
Hearing the commotion, two more stevedores rushed in to help — but they too collapsed, one after the other. Crew members, realizing the urgency, raced to gather emergency equipment. Despite their efforts and medical attention, all three men died.
🕳️ The Invisible Killer: Oxygen Depletion
It was later confirmed that the access space the stevedores entered was oxygen-depleted — an enclosed atmosphere that could not sustain human life. Such spaces are known dangers aboard bulk carriers, often holding residual gases or simply lacking ventilation due to prolonged closure.
But the critical issue? The access hatches weren’t locked. There were no warning signs, and the stevedores had received no training on the dangers of entering enclosed spaces aboard a bulk carrier.
“This was not a case of equipment failure or a storm. It was a preventable tragedy,” said the Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents.
🛑 System Failures: More Than One Mistake
This heartbreaking incident revealed a chain of lapses:
Enclosed spaces left unsecured without any restriction or signage.
Lack of training for stevedores working aboard international cargo ships.
No coordinated emergency protocol that considered third-party or shoreside staff.
Each mistake on its own may seem small. Together, they cost three lives.
🔧 What’s Changing: Safety Recommendations
Following the investigation, multiple international organizations were urged to take swift action:
The UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency was asked to revise the Code of Safe Working Practices, especially for emergency drills involving third-party workers.
Bunyu Port’s operating units and stevedore companies (PT Bintang Kartika Segara and PT Tanjung Mas) were advised to follow global safety codes — including the IMSBC Code and BLU Manual — and train their workers in enclosed space awareness and proper use of PPE.
Berge Bulk Maritime Pte. Ltd, the ship’s operator, was urged to enforce clearer guidance for onboard operations and access control — especially when shore personnel are involved.
Industry bodies like Intercargo, InterManager, and RightShip were encouraged to develop a minimum operational safety standard for stevedores — something many believe is long overdue.
👷 Lessons from the Depths
The sea is vast, and its dangers are many — but often, it’s what lies inside the ship, in narrow metal corridors and sealed compartments, that proves deadliest. The story of these three men is not just a maritime footnote — it’s a loud call for change, training, and respect for safety protocols.
It reminds us that in shipping, as in life, the smallest oversight can carry the greatest cost. And for those who work every day on the edges of the world — on decks, docks, and holds — their lives depend on the systems and safeguards that surround them.
Because a life lost at sea is not just a number — it’s a family forever changed.
