Improvised Lifting Operations Led to Serious Injury Maritime Activity Reports, Inc. June 17, 2026 Source: TAIC The New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) has released its findings into the serious injury that occurred on the bulk carrier, Thor Nitnirund, in the Cook Strait on March 20, 2025. The Commission’s report highlights the need for effective safety management systems, proper planning of lifting operations, and vigilance around high-risk areas during deck work. In March 2025, the bulk carrier was drifting in Cook Strait while waiting for a berth in Wellington. Heavy weather in preceding days had washed two cargo lashing chains over the ship’s side. To recover them, the crew improvised a lifting system powered by a mooring winch. They hauled one chain on board. As they were hauling the second chain, a web sling anchoring the lifting system failed. Components of the system struck an able seaman, who suffered serious head injuries and was later evacuated by helicopter. The sling failed at less than half of its expected minimum breaking load because its webbing was damaged and in poor condition. The sling was not recorded in the ship’s lifting gear register. It was likely inherited from a previous operator without being maintained or inspected under the ship’s safety management system. The crew did not identify the consequences of a failure under load and underestimated the risks of the improvised lifting arrangement. The task was not properly planned, risk-assessed or supervised. The ship’s safety management system required risk assessments and toolbox meetings, but these were not applied effectively to this task, and audits by the operator did not identify the gap. A toolbox meeting was held, but it was in the cargo office not the worksite, so the crew had less opportunity to visualize the operation, identify hazards and consider safer ways of doing the work. The accident reinforces several lessons for front-line workers, mid-managers and