Equinor/Knutsen NYK Offshore Tankers – Åsgard C – materials handling, working environment, work at height

The audit was conducted in November and December 2024.

Background

Åsgard C is used as a storage facility on the Åsgard field, for which Equinor is the operator.  The facility is designed as a ship. It is Norwegian flagged, classed by DNV and has consent from Havtil for use as a storage facility. Åsgard C is owned by Knutsen NYK Offshore Tankers (KNOT).

The audit covered both Equinor and KNOT.

Objective

The objective of the audit was to verify that the companies’ management and organisation of Åsgard C within materials handling, work at height and the working environment on board complied with the regulatory requirements.

Result

The audit identified a total of 13 regulatory non-conformities. These comprised:

• Efficient and safe materials handling and access (KNOT)
• Bunkering hose station (KNOT)
• Performance of lifting operations (KNOT)
• Training in rescue at height (KNOT)
• Analyses of the working environment (KNOT)
• Employee participation (KNOT)
• Chemical health hazard (KNOT)
• Noise (KNOT)
• Ergonomic factors (KNOT)
• Organisational and psycho-social working environment
• Cloakroom (KNOT)
• Competence requirements (KNOT)
• Equinor’s supervisory responsibility (Equinor)

In addition, we observed two factors that we have chosen to categorise as improvement points. These concerned:

• Incident reporting (Equinor/KNOT)
• Management system for safe use of lifting equipment (KNOT)

What happens now?

We have asked Equinor and KNOT to report by 25 April 2025 on how the non-conformities will be addressed, and for their assessment of the improvement points observed.