Drivers of trucks who remain in their cabs on the vehicle deck when a ferry is at sea put themselves and other passengers at risk, reports LloydsLoadingList. 

The renewed warning from the UK chief inspector of marine accidents follows a Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report into the cargo shift on the P&O Ferries operated ro-ro passenger ferry European Causeway during heavy weather in December 2018.

A statement from the MAIB said that the vessel rolled heavily in very rough seas and very high winds during its voyage from Larne, Northern Ireland to Cairnryan, Scotland.

“The violent motion caused several freight vehicles to shift and nine to topple over. This resulted in damage to 22 vehicles, some damaged severely. “At least six freight vehicle drivers had remained in their cabs on the vehicle decks during the crossing and four were found in cabs of vehicles that had toppled over. One driver was trapped and had to be freed by the emergency services when the ship arrived in Cairnryan.”

The MAIB said that drivers remaining in their vehicles during a ferry passage was “in contravention of international regulations and company policy, was not uncommon and is an industry-wide issue”.

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In addition the MAIB's coverage of the incident with a link to a report published here.