MARITIME: How Subcontractor Died at Hanwha Ocean Shipyard Explosion

By Our Correspondent

Hanwha Ocean, the South Korean Shipbuilder has reported that it has been forced to suspend activities at its shipyard facility in Okpo after a fatal accident, according to FleetMon.

It stated: “The yard is expected to remain closed until government officials determine the cause of the accident and prescribe preventative steps.

“The accident in question involves an explosion that occurred at around 3:20 PM on Friday, January 12th in one of the fabrication shops located at the shipyard that was working on manufacturing a rudder.

“A 28-year-old man working as a subcontractor at the facility has been reported to be hit by debris from the explosion, which caused him to be knocked across the shop. The man sadly succumbed to his injuries after he was taken to the hospital for treatment.

“Currently, the cause of the explosion is suspected to be an accumulation of gas from a ruptured line, which later ignited. The ongoing investigation is expected to shed more light on the actual cause of the incident and provide preventative measures for it to not occur again. The labor ministry has launched an investigation into the matter and ordered Hanwha Ocean to halt operations.”

It added: “Hanwha Ocean reported on the morning of January 15th that it is suspending activities at its Okpo shipyard and the date of resumption of operations will be determined when the ongoing investigation provides results and they receive permission from the Ministry of Employment and Labor.”