Opinion ID: 294541
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Background-- A Thirteenth Rung

Text: 3 In this typical third-party, indemnity case, Longshoreman (Horace Delaneuville, Jr.) sued Shipowner for damages caused by Shipowner's unseaworthy vessel. Shipowner then sued Stevedore (Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corporation) for indemnity because of breach of Stevedore's WWLP. The case was tried to the District Court sitting in Admiralty without a jury. 4 At the close of the case the Judge concluded (a) that with regard to Longshoreman and Shipowner, (i) Longshoreman's injuries were caused by the unseaworthiness of the ship, and (ii) accordingly Longshoreman was entitled to recover damages from Shipowner. The Court determined (b) with regard to Stevedore and Shipowner, (i) the defect in the equipment rendering the ship unseaworthy was a latent defect and consequently (ii) Stevedore did not breach its WWLP, thus (iii) affording Shipowner no legal ground upon which to demand indemnity. Shipowner appeals only from that part of the judgment that denies him indemnification from Stevedore.
5 On August 3, 1968 Stevedore was in charge of removing a cargo of bauxite from the No. 5 hold of M/S Vigan. In order to properly accomplish this task it was necessary to operate a bulldozer inside the hold of the vessel. This was Longshoreman's job, and he was proceeding to it at the time that he sustained his injury. The No. 5 hold has a steel strengthener built into it which begins approximately 35 to 45 feet below the weather deck, or approximately 12 to 20 feet above the tank top. This strengthener is about twelve and one-half feet in length, and runs at an angle along the side of the ship. To enable one to gain ingress into the No. 5 hold there is a permanent, steel ladder that runs from the main deck down to the strengthener, and from the strengthener there is a removable aluminum ladder that spans the remaining twelve feet or so to the floor of the hold. When in use the removable ladder is held in place by hooks permanently fastened to the top end of each side of the ladder which fit over a steel bracket welded to the strengthener. The bar, described as 'one continuous piece of metal', about eighteen inches wide, is welded to the strengthener in 'two places'. The legs of the bar extend out about five and one-half inches. This leaves enough space between it and the wall of the ship for the hooks of the ladder to fit over the bar without difficulty. In effect the metal bar is similar to an additional rung of the permanent ladder, being located approximately twelve inches below the end of it. The two steel hooks are welded to the top end of each side of the ladder. These hooks are designed to hang over the bar in order to secure the removable ladder to the ship. 3 6 The accident did not occur on Longshoreman's first descent into the hold that day. Sometime prior to the accident Longshoreman descended into the hold, worked down there, and then ascended to the main deck. All of this transpired without incident of any kind. However-- as the Court impliedly held on evidence which warranted credit-- on Longshoreman's second descent into the hold the hooks holding the temporary ladder slid sideways along the bar, dislodged completely from it, and then ladder and Longshoreman both toppled to the floor of the hold.
7 Although badly shaken, Longshoreman was nevertheless able to pick up the aluminum ladder and place it against the bulkhead at a point immediately below the end of the permanent ladder. He then 'carefully climbed up the ladder' and emerged from the depths (of the hold) onto the main deck. 8 On his climb back up the ladder he had noticed that the 'bracket was broken', that 'the right hand side going up was broken'. Longshoreman, in testifying about his observation, stated: 'The bar was broken across, and it was flat in, the peice from the wall to where the bar was bent down flat, and the bar was also bent in a little    the bar itself was bent in    (a) slight bend in the bar itself, a light curve in the bar    (which) curved in, towards the wall.' Longshoreman testified further that the bar did not contain an actual break, but that the break was in 'the bar that was coming from the wall    (that part) was broken and bent, mashed in, bent in.' Although the testimony was confusing because Longshoreman attempted to describe what had taken place, the trial Court was entitled to conclude impliedly that with the 'leg' part loosened from the bulkhead or the main hangar portion of the bracket, there was nothing to keep the ladder hooks from slipping off the bracket. 4 9