The Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty issued an investigation report on vessel “Ventura”, to look for the causes that resulted to the vessel’s cargo tanks and cargo being burnt down, highlighting that sugar beep pulp is prone to ignition when moistured and heaped.
Specifically, the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged multipurpose vessel called “Ventura” began its journey from Liepaja in Latvia heading to Casablanca in Morocco on December 18, 2015.
The vessel was transmitting about 4,811 mt of sugar beet pulp with no added molasses. The vessel sailed by the Kiel lighthouse at 11.00, and at 12.00 smoke was noted onboard the vessel and triggering the fire alarm.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a Marine Accident Brief about the fire on the offshore supply vessel Grand Sun, noting that substantial use of combustible wood paneling and drapery contributed to the extent of the fire.
The U.S. Coast Guard has issued an alert to towboat operators about safety hazards associated with retractable pilothouses. These specialized hydraulic systems are sometimes used on towing vessels designed for low air draft restrictions.
Gard P&I Club has reminded the industry about the importance of getting container lashings correct. Lashings should be spanner tight. Slack lashings on container bays are not desirable for obvious reasons. But should the crew apply excessive force or use tools to increase the mechanical advantage on the lever that allow them to over-tighten the lashings?
The global maritime data tracking and shock measurement specialist, Dyena, has launched a version of their monitoring system aimed at supporting Naval Architects who are involved in running vessel trials.
The annual increase in boat licence fees for 2020 has been set by the Canal & River Trust at 2.5 percent, but other changes implemented at the same time will include the first stage of a phased introduction of higher charges for wider craft.
