According to foreign media reports, a tragic incident occurred on September 3 local time at the Hanwha Ocean shipyard in Geoje, South Korea. A Brazilian supervisor responsible for the construction of a Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel unfortunately fell to his death during ship testing operations.
The South Korean Coast Guard confirmed that 39-year-old Rodrigo Reis Barreto fell from a collapsed platform, while two other workers clung to the platform structure and were eventually rescued.
In light of this incident, all related activities at the Hanwha shipyard have been suspended, and authorities have launched an investigation. Local media reported that the Coast Guard and the Ministry of Employment and Labor are reviewing whether there were violations of safety regulations under the Industrial Safety and Health Act.
This accident occurred during an elevator test for a 150,000-ton FPSO vessel being built for Petrobras.
It was reported that around 11:30 AM to noon local time, large water injection bags were being hoisted using a heavy-duty lifting winch when the supporting structure failed under pressure.
The supervisor fell approximately 30 feet (10 meters) into the water below. The Coast Guard reported retrieving him around 1:30 PM. However, he was in cardiac arrest when rescued and was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital due to severe injuries.
Two other individuals at the scene managed to grab onto the remaining building structure and reportedly sustained minor injuries.
It is understood that the accident occurred on the FPSO P-79 platform. Hanwha Ocean (formerly Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering) signed a construction contract with Saipem in 2021, with a total value of approximately $2.3 billion. According to a report from Hanwha Ocean in early August, the construction of the P-79 is nearing completion and is currently in the integration and commissioning phase.
Unions at shipyards across South Korea have expressed concerns about unsafe working conditions. Last year, a fatal accident occurred at Hanwha Ocean’s factory, leading to a work stoppage by shipyard workers. Shortly thereafter, a fatal accident involving a subcontractor occurred at Hyundai Heavy Industries’ shipyard in Ulsan.
This latest tragedy occurred during ongoing contract negotiations between unions and the shipyard.
In late July, Hanwha Ocean announced a labor agreement with the union, which they described as significant. However, union members continue to demand higher wages and improved working conditions, especially in protest of Hyundai Heavy Industries’ plan to merge its Ulsan shipyard with Hyundai Mipo Dockyard.
Compiled by Shipping Online.
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