On November 20, 2022, at 1256 local time, the liftboat L/B Robert was reported to be listing (tilting) alongside a stationary oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico near South Marsh Island Block 137, about 80 miles southeast of Lake Charles, Louisiana. The crew had evacuated 2 days prior due to forecasted adverse weather in the area, leaving the vessel elevated out of the water and unattended. Following the casualty, vessel crewmembers, salvors, and personnel from the operating company assessed the damage and facilitated the tow of the vessel into port. No pollution or injuries were reported. Damage to the vessel and cargo was estimated at $6.9 million.
We determined that the probable cause of the tilting of the elevated liftboat L/B Robert was gale-force winds combined with waves that exceeded the vessel’s air gap, causing vessel movement, which led to a leg sliding into an adjacent can hole in the seafloor.
