Contaminated Water Causes Serious Infection

Case Overview

This case takes place in Pennsylvania and involves an employee of a large fishing vessel which had been operating in the Bering Sea for several weeks. The man was a deckhand on the vessel who had been employed by the fishing company for several years. At some point during this cruise, the employee developed a significant infection in a cut on his right ankle. The infection spread very rapidly, and proved to be resistant to treatment with antibiotics, and the man was taken off the ship to be treated in a hospital. Despite these measures, the infection necessitated the amputation of the man’s right leg below the knee. After the ship returned to seaport, an inspection revealed significant issues with the vessel’s potable water tanks. It is alleged that bacterial contamination of the potable water supply caused the bacteria to be introduced to the man’s wound while he was bathing, causing his infection.

Questions to the Maritime expert and their responses

Please explain why you're qualified to review this matter.

I have had extensive experience with potable water supplies. It is used for drinking and cleaning water, and must be kept in very clean so no bacteria can travel into the water supply. I have traveled and received potable water from ports all over the world, including Hong Kong, South Africa, and areas in South America, and I understand the necessities of keeping it in regulatory standards.

Are you aware of specific standards or maintenance requirements for potable water systems on vessels like the one described above?

When you dock at a port, the ship must connect a hose to an area in the port that supplies the ship with the clean water. The shore side also must check that the water is acceptable, and must be on par with the Code of Federal Regulations. However, it is also the ship's duty to make sure that the potable water has been taken good care of to avoid any illnesses. It seems that these standards were not adhered to on this vessel, and the contamination of the ship's water was almost certainly due to the poor condition of the tanks, as was revealed during the on-shore inspection.

About the expert

This expert has over 40 years of experience in the maritime industry. He received a B.S. in Marine Transportation from Texas A&M University and served as a Commissioned Officer for the United States Naval Reserve. He holds an Unlimited Masters License, is a certified ISO Ship Auditor, and has studied various subjects at the Maritime Institute of Technology and Shippensburg State University including Shiphandling, Oceanography, and Diesel Control Systems. He also served as Port Captain for Blackwater USA where he was responsible for developing the Maritime Division of Blackwater. In addition, he consulted for Marport Security regarding port facility and vessel security assessments. His expertise includes maritime courses, auditing of safety management systems, cargo import and export, and safety procedures. He currently serves as an Instructor and Consultant for a maritime academy, teaching subjects approved by the United States Coast Guard.

E-008049

Specialties:

Maritime