Brazilian Supervisor Dies After Platform Collapse At South Korean Shipyard

A Brazilian supervisor lost his life after falling from a vessel under construction at Hanwha Ocean’s Geoje shipyard in South Korea. The fatal accident occurred on September 3 during load testing on a 150,000-ton Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) unit being built for Petrobras.

The victim was identified as Rodrigo Reis Barreto, a Petrobras employee who was supervising system tests on the P-79 FPSO. According to authorities, the accident happened between 11:30 a.m. and noon local time when a winch aboard the vessel was being used to lift large water-filled bags as part of the testing process. The structure holding the winch suddenly collapsed under the weight, bending and hanging down.

Barreto, who was on the platform at the time, fell more than 10 meters (about 30 feet) into the sea. Two other workers on the same platform managed to cling to the damaged structure and were later rescued with minor injuries.

Rescue divers from the Changwon Coast Guard retrieved Barreto at around 1:27 p.m., nearly 90 minutes after the fall. Officials reported that he was found in cardiac arrest. He was transported to a hospital while receiving CPR but was later pronounced dead.

Petrobras confirmed the death of its employee and stated that a committee had been formed to investigate the cause of the incident. The company also said it was providing assistance to Barreto’s family. Hanwha Ocean expressed regret over the incident and said it had suspended all related work at the Geoje shipyard. The company added that it was cooperating with authorities and putting additional safety measures in place.

The Changwon Coast Guard and South Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor have both launched investigations. Authorities are examining the collapse as a possible violation of the country’s Industrial Safety and Health Act. Witnesses and workers who were present at the site are being questioned.

Almost a year ago, a subcontractor died at the same Hanwha Ocean yard after falling 32 meters inside a containership under construction. According to the Korea Metal Workers’ Union, four subcontractors died at the Geoje facility in the first nine months of 2024, from causes ranging from a gas explosion to drowning and heat-related illness.

Labor groups have repeatedly warned about unsafe working conditions at shipyards across the country. Hanwha Ocean is one of South Korea’s three largest shipbuilders, alongside HD Hyundai and Samsung Heavy Industries. Just weeks before this accident, Hanwha Ocean announced a major labor deal with its unions.

At the same time, unions at HD Hyundai’s shipyards have been threatening strikes over wages, safety standards, and the proposed merger of Hyundai’s Ulsan yard with Hyundai Mipo shipyard.

References: koreajoongangdaily, clickpetroleoegas

Source: Maritime Shipping News