The MAIB investigation report into the grounding and loss of the prawn trawler Sustain off Ullapool finds the skipper fell asleep. Image courtesy of Graeme Maclennan (MarineTraffic.com)
Prawn Trawler Declared Total Loss After Skipper Falls Asleep at Helm
The prawn trawler Sustain (UL 45) was declared a constructive total loss after running aground at the entrance to Loch Broom near Ullapool, Scotland, on 16 November 2023.
The grounding occurred after the vessel’s skipper, who was alone on watch, fell asleep at the wheel due to severe fatigue.
The Sustain, a UK-flagged trawler built in 1970, was returning to Ullapool from a coastal voyage when the incident took place at approximately 1946. Weather conditions were calm, with a Force 1 south-south-westerly wind and good nighttime visibility. High tide was recorded at 2133. All three crew members were safely evacuated unharmed the following day.
Fatigue and Operational Shortcomings
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) investigation revealed that the skipper had accumulated significant sleep debt due to standard fishing routines, which was further exacerbated by staying awake overnight to carry out repairs on the vessel’s deck wash pump prior to departure. At the time of the accident, the skipper was not in compliance with work and rest regulations.
Risk assessments conducted by the vessel had acknowledged the hazards of lone navigation, but the associated control measures were ineffective or had not been implemented. Furthermore, the voyage was not planned according to industry best practice, and no alarms were activated to alert the skipper as the vessel neared the coastline.
Vessel Dismantled, No Recommendations Issued
Due to the severity of the damage, the vessel could not be refloated. It was later broken up and removed by a team of specialist divers in early 2024. Despite the clear findings of regulatory non-compliance and ineffective risk management, no formal safety recommendations were issued in the MAIB report, as the vessel’s operator no longer owns or runs any fishing vessels.
However, the MAIB has issued a safety flyer to the wider fishing industry to disseminate the lessons learned and to urge greater adherence to fatigue management, proper voyage planning, and effective watchkeeping protocols.
The incident adds to a growing body of concern about fatigue in small-scale fishing operations, especially when crew numbers are minimal and maintenance demands force operators into unsafe patterns of work and rest. While Sustain’s loss resulted in no injuries, the case underscores the latent risks that still plague parts of the fishing fleet.
Safety issues
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Normal fishing routines led to the build-up of a significant sleep debt, which made the skipper less resilient to extended periods of wakefulness
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The skipper decided to sail early despite staying awake overnight to repair the vessel’s deck wash pump
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The skipper was not compliant with hours of work and rest regulations at the time of the accident
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The risk assessments for navigation were ineffective and the identified control measures were not implemented
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Passages were not planned in line with industry best practice and no alarms were set to warn of the impending danger
Recommendations
No safety recommendations have been made.
Related publication
A safety flyer to the fishing industry was produced with this report, summarising the case and identifying safety lessons.
Source: MAIB
