News Hound

The Marine Department of the Hong Kong SAR has published note on the amendments to the International Life-Saving Appliance Code (LSA Code) and the Revised Recommendation on Testing of Life-Saving Appliances.
The amendments, which will enter force on 1 January 2026, decisions made following the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee 108th session earlier this year. Continue reading “Hong Kong SAR note on amendments to LSA code”

The International Maritime Pilots’ Association (IMPA) has partnered with the Canadian National Centre of Expertise on Maritime Pilotage (NCEMP) and the Canadian Coast Guard to rigorously explore remote pilotage to ground-truth its feasibility, readiness, and impacts on safe navigation practices and systems.
Launched this summer, the study is specifically designed to deliver unbiased, science-based and authoritative insights into pilotage as a socio-technical system and the readiness, risks, impacts, benefits, opportunities, and prerequisites of remote pilotage.
A crucial part of the work is to conduct trials which will take place over the next two years in three different ways to ensure Continue reading “IMPA study on remote pilotage reaches out to manufacturers and system integrators”

The International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) has released a Unified Interpretation on CO2 fire extinguishing systems in alcohol-fuelled ships machinery spaces.
Within the update it states machinery space and fuel preparation space where methyl/ethyl alcohol-fuelled engines or fuel pumps are arranged should be protected by an approved fixed fire extinguishing system in accordance with SOLAS regulations. The system should also be able to extinguish methyl/ethyl alcohol fires.
The interpretation says that where CO2 is used to suppress Continue reading “IACS guidance on CO2 fire extinguishing systems in alcohol-fuelled ships”

The Liberia Maritime Authority has updated Marine Notice SAF-004 on lifeboat and emergency drills. The amended notice includes changes on drills and training sessions.
The notice provides guidelines for the safe conduct of abandon ship drills using lifeboats and alternative method for lifeboat drills on mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs). It applies to owners, masters, ships officers, nautical inspectors, and recognized organization surveyors when performing drills and surveys on board Liberian flag ships and MODUs. It also addresses several SOLAS requirements established by the office of the deputy commissioner.

Training
Every crewmember should take part in at least one abandon ship, and one fire drill each month. This increases to at least each week for passenger ships, however, the entire does not have to be involved in every drill. Continue reading “Liberia: Updated guidelines for lifeboat and emergency drills”

The Paris MoU is emphasising the importance of fire door compliance after a recent Focused Inspection Campaign (FIC) recorded a 13.9% non-compliance rate.

As part of an ongoing investigation into possible efficiency improvements regarding inspection campaigns, the member authorities of the Paris MoU held an unannounced FIC on fire doors from 1 to 28 July this year.

The findings of this FIC raised concerns for the Paris MoU, as 13.9% of non-compliance was recorded. Of this 13.9%, 30% was considered to be a lack of implementation of the ISM Code. Continue reading “Paris MoU concerned over FIC on fire doors results”