Internal corrosion of a crane wire caused US$3.8 million in damage to offshore construction vessel Island Venture and offshore supply vessel C Enforcer at Port Fourchon, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
What happened
On April 3, 2025, about 2145 local time, the offshore construction vessel Island Venture’s crane was being used to lift a wire reel from the back deck of the offshore supply vessel C Enforcer in Bayou Lafourche, Port Fourchon, Louisiana, when the crane’s hoisting wire parted, causing the reel to drop onto the C Enforcer’s main deck.
There were no injuries, and no pollution was reported.
Damage
At the request of Edison Chouest Offshore, on April 4, a damage surveyor boarded the C-Enforcer to assess the damage to the vessel. The surveyor’s preliminary report noted damage to the main deck plating, deck boards, upper framing of engine room (beneath the main deck), various upper engine room piping, and the upper portion of a liquid mud tank.
After the casualty, Coast Guard and NTSB investigators visually examined the parted hoisting wire and the remaining wire on board Island Venture. The hoisting wire showed internal and external oxidation (rust). The outside diameter of the wire had minimum and intermittent aged lubrication grease coverage throughout the length.
Findings
The NTSB determined that the probable cause of the failure of the hoisting wire on the offshore construction vessel Island Venture’s crane was internal corrosion of the crane’s hoisting wire.
Download the report: NTSB-MIR2611-Island Venture_C-Enforcer
