The wreck of the Sewol ferry, which sank almost three years ago with over 300 people on board, could emerge from the water by early april, says the South Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
The 6,825-ton Sewol tragically sank off Jindo Island on April 16, 2014, killing 304 people onboard, 250 of whom were high school students on a school trip.
Continue reading “The wreck of the Sewol ferry to be lifted by early April”
Carbon monoxide poisoning is sometimes called death by stealth and there have been some high profile marine cases that have made unpleasant media headlines in recent times. Victims are unaware that they are being poisoned and the symptoms are hard to spot. In this specially commissioned feature, Susan Stockwell, Director of Nereus Alarms Ltd, discusses how CO is produced and offers readers some background to this hidden killer. She also gives essential advice that surveyors will surely find invaluable.
Continue reading “The hidden dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning afloat”
The IIMS Small Craft Working Group joined the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s (RNLI) annual surveyor training conference. Following a detailed tour around the RNLI facility in Poole, the combined group of approaching 50 surveyors listened to a series of presentations and had the chance to network and share ideas amongst themselves. Both RNLI and IIMS felt the occasion was a great success and expressed a desire for the two organisations to work more closely together. As a direct result of that recent gathering, IIMS invited RNLI to write an article. Andrew Squibb MEng AMRINA AMIMarEST, Technical Surveyor RNLI picks up the story. Continue reading “Marine surveyors helping to save lives at sea… behind the scenes at the RNLI”
The West of England P&I Club has confirmed that India has now approved eDOT Marine Laboratories to use the modified Proctor Fagerberg test for iron ore fines. A table with up to date details of approved laboratories has been released. The table also includes the validity of their approval and the test methods which they are authorized to use.
For a number of years the Director General of Shipping (DGS) India has approved local laboratories to carry out tests as provided for in Appendix 2 of the IMSBC Code, to determine the TML of material which may liquefy.
Effective from January 1st, 2017, a new test procedure for determining Transportable Moisture Limit (TML), the modified Proctor Fagerberg test procedure for iron ore fines is mandated in accordance with SOLAS – Amendments to the IMSBC Code (Amendment 03-15).
The technology group Wärtsilä is launching its latest innovation SmartPredict at this year’s Seatrade Cruise Global exhibition in Fort Lauderdale, Florida from March 13 to 16. Developed by the company’s Dynamic Positioning unit, SmartPredict is designed to provide safer and more efficient vessel operations by reducing the risks associated with manoeuvring.
The system displays the vessel’s predicted future position and heading, and uses proven dynamic positioning (DP) analysis algorithms to evaluate forces affecting the vessel, thereby providing advanced motion prediction. SmartPredict also features a configurable prediction time display.
Continue reading “Wärtsilä launches SmartPredict to provide safer ship manoeuvring guidance”
Due to a mishap from improper testing of a vapor pressure relief valve on a compressed air system, the Coast Guard Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance (CG-CVC) reminds all those concern of the risks and best practices in conducting or witnessing the testing of relief valves. While this information is based on testing compressed air systems using vapor relief valves, the guidance is also relevant to safety valves in other pressure systems, except boilers.
The world’s most advanced and largest ultra-deepwater semi-submersible drilling rig has been delivered by China’s Yantai CIMC Raffles Offshore shipyard.
The DP3 rig Bluewhale 1 has an operating depth of up to 12,000 feet (3,658 meters) and a drilling depth to 50,000 feet (15,240 meters), making it capable of drilling in any waters around the world. It is 387 feet (118 meters) high, equal to a 37-story building.
CIMC Raffles says the 42,000 ton vessel uses 10 percent less fuel than comparable rigs.
Continue reading “China delivers the largest drilling rig in the world”
The Hong Kong Marine Department has issued an information note about a fatal accident that happened on a Hong Kong registered general cargo ship caused by semi-coke cargo. Two stevedores and one bulldozer operator were found collapsed inside the stair trunk after they entered the enclosed space without following the proper procedures. The cause of death was due to the oxygen depletion atmosphere inside the stair trunk.
This incident draws the attention of the shipping industry to the dangers associated with the characteristics of semi-coke cargo. Parties concerned should treat the space inside stair trunk to cargo hold as an enclosed space and take appropriate safety precautionary measures before entering such space.
Continue reading “Enclosed space deaths caused by semi-coke cargo says findings”
Flying deliberately under the media radar over the past decade, and in the meantime developing a giant 9MW wave energy cost effective device, American wave energy company GWave has recently lifted the lid on its well-kept secret by announcing the plans to deploy a full-scale device at the Wave Hub test center in Cornwall, UK.
Tidal Energy Today has talked to GWave’s Chief Executive Officer, Robert Stoddard, to learn more about this ‘dark horse’ of wave energy cost effective generation whose nameplate capacity of 9MW is larger than that of the biggest offshore wind turbine currently available on the market.
Continue reading “Power vessel navigates wave energy cost-effective devices”
GPS is now recognised as being vulnerable to jamming either by accident or by design and despite a lot of talk from politicians there is no back up if the system goes down through jamming or spoofing.
A solution to this vulnerability now exists in the form of Satellite Time and Location (STL) signals. “STL signals provide the safest, strongest, most dependable backup to our GPS infrastructure and they originate from the Iridium satellites, whose beams are high-powered, location-specific, and incredibly difficult to jam.” commented American company Satelles who have developed the system. Their time and positioning system that uses the powerful Iridium signals as a means of propagating enhanced GPS information which is claimed to be much more reliable and powerful than the original GPS signals alone, which should combat GPS jamming and spoofing.
Continue reading “New development to combat GPS jamming and spoofing”
It’s been a busy start to 2017 at Shoreham Port with imports and exports flowing steadily through, new recruits joining the team and a number of development projects under way.
Recently, long-term plans at the Port have been in the spotlight. A framework for development for the Port over the next 20 years is set out in the Port’s Masterplan and in December the Masterplan underwent a ‘light touch review’ to bring the plans right up to date.
The Masterplan includes details of how Shoreham Port plans to meet its objectives as an ‘Eco-Port’ and improve the sustainability of all Continue reading “Shoreham Port unveils 20 year development plan”
North P&I Club has published a new loss prevention briefing on how to prevent, detect and fight fires on roll-on-roll-off (ro-ro) vessels and car carriers. Such vessels are twice as likely to catch fire as other ships and vehicle-deck fires are notoriously difficult to contain and put out.
The new 10-page briefing, which is free to download from the the North P&I Club website, (or at the foot of this article), explains the risks of ro-ro and car carrier fires in detail. It then sets out a comprehensive series of recommendations covering training, maintenance, vigilance, reaction and procedures.
Continue reading “New guidance on minimising risk from Ro-Ro fires published by North P&I Club”
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