Safety alert issued about vessel stability and watertight integrity following fatalities

Photo credit: USCG
Photo credit: USCG

The US Coast Guard has issued an interim safety alert to address its concerns regarding vessel stability and watertight integrity, especially in light of a recent marine casualty in the Bering Sea that resulted in multiple fatalities and the total loss of the fishing vessel involved.

Although the investigation is not complete, testimony and fact finding indicate that vessel owners, operators, and crews should give special consideration to vessel stability concerns.

As a result, USCG suggests that operators and crew should seek out opportunities to further their knowledge of stability via courses, training, workshops, and visits from Naval Architects. They should also take advantage of other various initiatives, both mandatory and Continue reading “Safety alert issued about vessel stability and watertight integrity following fatalities”

Cargo handling fatality report and recommendation issued by JTSB

Cargo ship - Photo credit: vesseltracker.com
Photo credit: vesseltracker.com

The Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB) has published its investigation report concerning the cargo handling fatality of two workers onboard the cargo vessel ‘BBC ASIA’. The incident happened in October 2016 at Hanshin Port. The report provides a description of what happened and provides important safety issues to prevent similar accidents in the future.

The incident
The accident occurred at around 11:31 on October 30, 2016, on the cargo ship BBC ASIA when, during work to load pipes with a crane at Shinko East Quay T Wharf, Kobe Section, Hanshin Port, three workers who were working in a cargo hold were caught between pipes being hoisted by the crane and a side wall. Two of the workers were killed and one was seriously injured.

Continue reading “Cargo handling fatality report and recommendation issued by JTSB”

Poor maintenance led to steering failure and grounding of the Bow Singapore

The Bow Singapore before its accidentThe Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) has released its investigation report into the grounding of the tanker Bow Singapore in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, in August 2016, highlighting both procedural and maintenance issues as contributing to the accident.

On August 19, 2016, a Port Phillip Sea Pilot boarded the vessel. The pilot was to conduct the ship through The Rip and the South Channel to an anchorage in the northern part of Port Phillip.

Continue reading “Poor maintenance led to steering failure and grounding of the Bow Singapore”

Raising the bar in Vessel Assurance through IMCA eCMID accreditation

The ship at harbour

Stephen Birt, Chairman of the IMCA Marine eCMID Committee, has written this short article.

Those of you in the Offshore maritime industry are no doubt very familiar with the International Marine Contractor’s Association (IMCA) Common Marine Inspection Document (eCMID), or perhaps the smaller vessel equivalent Marine Inspection for Small Workboats (eMISW). In this article I use eCMID to include eMISW.

However, not everyone is aware of the recent upgrades to the system and database that have seen the most recent version (revision 10) released in July 2016, incorporating extra and refined supplements for various vessel types (including DP vessel and Heavy Lift for example), and also a review of the approximately 250 general vessel questions. Continue reading “Raising the bar in Vessel Assurance through IMCA eCMID accreditation”

Final report into the loss of EL FARO is published by USCG

ContainershipThe US Coast Guard has published the SS EL FARO Marine Board of Investigation report, which includes a detailed account of the accident along with the MBI’s conclusions on contributing factors and recommendations. The loss of the US flagged cargo vessel EL FARO, along with its 33 member crew, ranks as one of the worst maritime disasters in US history, and resulted in the highest death toll from a US commercial vessel sinking in almost 40 years.

Continue reading “Final report into the loss of EL FARO is published by USCG”

IIMS professional qualifications recognised with a special award

Fifteen years after launch, the International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS) distance learning commercial ship and yacht and small craft professional qualifications were recently nominated for an Award in the International Maritime Club’s Golden Shield Excellence Awards 2017 in the ‘Leading Maritime Training Institute’ category. And at the ceremony on Friday 15 September 2017 at the Lloyd’s Old Library in London, IIMS was announced as the winner in this category. View full press release.

MAIB issues an essential Safety Digest featuring 25 cases

MAIb Safety DigestThe Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) examines and investigates all types of marine accidents to, or on board UK vessels worldwide and other vessels in UK territorial waters. This Safety Digest (02/17) draws the attention of the marine community to some of the lessons arising from investigations into recent accidents and incidents. It contains information which has been determined up to the time of issue.

In his introduction to the Safety Digest, Steve Clinch, Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents for the MAIB says, “A fire is one of the most frightening things that can happen at sea. Often, seafarers have no ready access to the emergency services when a fire breaks out and will need to rely on their own resources, courage and training to tackle and extinguish the blaze quickly to ensure the safety of the ship and everyone on board. After reading one of the cases while editing this edition of the Safety Digest, I found myself thinking about the recent fire that engulfed Grenfell Tower, a west London residential tower block. This was an horrific incident; 80 people are currently presumed to have died but the ferocity of the fire means that the final death toll may never be known for sure. Why the Grenfell Tower fire spread so quickly is the subject of intense debate but its source was attributed to a domestic fridge/freezer that overheated. Case 10 provides a reminder that fires can quite easily start in a similar way on a ship. In that case a fire was caused when a travel fridge was placed on the carpeted area of the deck in a cabin; the lack of air circulation around the unit caused the fridge to overheat… fortunately the crew were able to extinguish the fire without too much damage being done.” Continue reading “MAIB issues an essential Safety Digest featuring 25 cases”

Dasher by Hinckley Yachts claimed to be the world’s first fully electric luxury yacht

The world’s first fully electric luxury yacht by Hinckley Yachts is set to launch in 2018
The world’s first fully electric luxury yacht by Hinckley Yachts is set to launch in 2018

Since 1928, Hinckley has been at the forefront of designing highly innovative and timeless yachts. Now Hinckley Yachts announces the birth of Dasher, which it claims to be the world’s first fully electric luxury yacht. Reservations now being accepted for delivery in Summer 2018.

Designed from the ground up for fully electric propulsion, Dasher achieves a new standard of excellence with modern styling paired with super lightweight construction. From her carbon-epoxy composite hull, to her hand-painted, lightweight Artisanal Teak, every ounce of weight has been shaved and every curve sculpted.

Continue reading “Dasher by Hinckley Yachts claimed to be the world’s first fully electric luxury yacht”

Yara Birkeland autonomous and zero emission vessel test model design demonstrated

The Yara Birkeland in a pool A six metre long model of the final design of the autonomous and zero emission container vessel “Yara Birkeland” was launched in SINTEF Ocean’s sea laboratory in Trondheim, Norway, on 28 September.

In May, Yara announced the partnership with technology company Kongsberg to build the world’s first electric container ship.

The vessel will be built and put to use late 2018, as part of Yara International’s logistics value chain at the plant in Porsgrunn, Norway. The project is a collaboration between Yara and KongsbergGruppen, a Norwegian technology company.

Continue reading “Yara Birkeland autonomous and zero emission vessel test model design demonstrated”

IIMS and BSSA to deliver a special one day seminar entitled Marine Corrosion and its Prevention in Small Vessels

Lifeboat being lifted into the boatyardIIMS has joined forces with the British Stainless Steel Association (BSSA) to deliver an essential one day seminar called ‘Marine Corrosion and its Prevention in Small Vessels’. The day’s seminar programme will be delivered by Dr Mike Lewus, Technical Advisor, BSSA on Tuesday 23 January 2018 at Lakeside, North Harbour, near Portsmouth commencing at 09.00. Delegates who cannot be there in person may join online live via Zoom. IIMS was so impressed with Mike when he spoke at the London Conference on the same topic, that they have engaged him to expand his presentation into a whole day’s seminar. And this is the result.

Continue reading “IIMS and BSSA to deliver a special one day seminar entitled Marine Corrosion and its Prevention in Small Vessels”

UK’s superyacht industry posts fifth consecutive year of growth with highest ever revenue figures

Superyacht in waterNew figures, released in a report by Superyacht UK came as UK businesses headed to Monaco Yacht Show to showcase the best of British.

Despite continued uncertainty that followed the EU referendum and recent General Election, the UK’s superyacht industry remains buoyant, posting its fifth consecutive year of growth, contributing £450m in Gross Value Added to UK GDP, while generating an estimated £186m in taxes for the UK exchequer.

Continue reading “UK’s superyacht industry posts fifth consecutive year of growth with highest ever revenue figures”

Seagull Maritime publishes a guide to ballast water management to coincide with convention changes

A docked shipping containerOn the 8th September 2017 the International Convention of the Control and Management of Ship’s Ballast Water and Sediments (BWM Convention) entered into force. With a few exceptions, according to Seagull Maritime, it will apply to all ships in international trade beginning in 2017 and fully implemented in 2024.

Complex in parts, there are a number of conditions that officers must meet in order to avoid problems in relation to topics such as Port State inspections. In essence, existing ships MUST comply with the convention. This means that the ballast water must be exchanged on the journey if a treatment system is not installed.Vessels must also be equipped with a International Ballast Water Management Certificate (or statement of compliance) and an approved ship-specific Ballast Water Management Plan.

Continue reading “Seagull Maritime publishes a guide to ballast water management to coincide with convention changes”

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