USCG issues warning about the recall of emergency beacons

USCG has issued a safety alert to inform people about the urgent recall of all SAFELINK EPIRBs due to a possible defect that could result in the beacon not operating in emergency situations. USCG advises that if you own or use a SAFELINK EPIRB automatic or manual model it should not under any circumstances be used as a primary Search and Rescue beacon onboard.

The USCG provides the following information obtained by Kannad Marine:
Kannad Marine recommends that all owners of SAFELINK EPIRBs register their ownership, location and contact details via the dedicated website.

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Western Med training event proves popular and successful

Pictured is the group of surveyors who met for training in Palma
Pictured is the group of surveyors who met for training in Palma

A large and enthusiastic group of 20 plus IIMS member surveyors and non members arrived on the island of Mallorca for a two day training event in Palma on 28 and 29 April organised by the Western Mediterranean Small Craft Working Group under the leadership of John Walker. The event was once more timed to coincide with the rapidly growing and increasingly important Palma Superyacht Show.

The opening day was run by John Excell, IIMS Chairman of Yacht & Small Craft surveying, and was given over to an introduction to the IIMS Certifying Authority Continue reading “Western Med training event proves popular and successful”

Superyacht UK Tour of Excellence 2016 a great success

British Marine was behind the Superyacht UK Tour of Excellence 2016
British Marine was behind the Superyacht UK Tour of Excellence 2016

British Marine and its group association, Superyacht UK (SYUK), gave 17 international delegates and journalists the opportunity to visit and network with a number of key British companies who provide superior quality products and services for the superyacht sector.

The Superyacht UK Tour of Excellence, which took place over an entire week, ran from Monday 18 to Friday 22 April. During the course of the week the tour took delegates from Cornwall in the west to Sussex in the south. It was an opportunity to demonstrated Britain’s rich heritage as seafaring pioneers with truly world-class Continue reading “Superyacht UK Tour of Excellence 2016 a great success”

New Tritex Multigauge 5650 Surveyor Thickness Gauge

Tritex NDT has announced the launch of the new Multigauge 5650 surveyor thickness gauge specially for marine surveyors
Tritex NDT has announced the launch of the new Multigauge 5650 surveyor thickness gauge specially for marine surveyors

Dorchester based, Tritex NDT has launched their new Multigauge 5650 Surveyor thickness gauge. The new gauge, based on the already very popular original Multigauge 5600, has new features specifically designed for marine surveyors. The gauge can be used with existing standard soft faced probes for measuring metal thickness through coatings, up to 20mm thick, to give the same high standard of performance as the Multigauge 5600. However, by simply exchanging the probe, the gauge automatically switches to GRP measurement mode which uses single echo. This can be used to assess the condition Continue reading “New Tritex Multigauge 5650 Surveyor Thickness Gauge”

UK MCA issues Marine Guidance Notes MGN 547 and MGN 552

The UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) has issued two new marine guidance notices in recent days.

MGN 547: Solid bulk cargoes – safe carriage of bauxite.
The purpose of this Marine Guidance Note is to advise the industry of the circular issued by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers, CCC.1/Circ.2, on safe carriage of bauxite and raise awareness of the possible dangers of liquefaction associated with carriage of bauxite.

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UK remains the undisputed leader in maritime professional services reveals research

Research reveals that the UK remains the undisputed leader as far as maritime professional services are concerned
Research reveals that the UK remains the undisputed leader as far as maritime professional services are concerned

The UK’s Global Maritime Professional Services: Contribution and Trends report, produced by PricewaterhouseCoopers looks at the contribution and trends of the UK’s maritime professional services sector and provides a wealth of new data and insights drawn from survey responses and interviews with maritime industry specialists.

This sector includes areas such as marine insurance, law, finance and shipbroking, which play a vital role in facilitating the functioning of the global maritime industry.

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The futuristic Glider yacht takes to the water

The new iconic and eye catching Glider Yacht on its sea trials
The new iconic and eye catching Glider Yacht on its sea trials

The Glider Yacht, the brainchild of the company’s founder, Rob McCall, has taken to the water for its official sea trials, although it is not officially unveiled until the forthcoming London On-Water, Yacht and Boat Show on the 4th May.

Managing director Richard Inwards said: “Gliders are unlike any other yacht in existence. With their unparalleled design and technological capabilities, they promise to be one of the most luxurious, high performance craft in the world.

“We are absolutely delighted to be part of this very exciting new British innovation that is set to revolutionise high speed luxury marine travel.” Continue reading “The futuristic Glider yacht takes to the water”

AkzoNobel launches new Intershield high performance primer

The marine coatings division of AkzoNobel has launched what it says is a best-in-class anticorrosive universal primer, Intershield One-2-One, which delivers simplified maintenance, waste avoidance and enhanced corrosion protection.

Intershield One-2-One, part of AkzoNobel’s International range of marine coatings, is a surface tolerant universal primer for use during on board maintenance. It is based on the company’s Intershield 300 pure epoxy technology, which provides a unique balance of abrasion and corrosion resistance with optimum levels of hardness and flexibility, delivering long-term performance and effective corrosion control.

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Bulletin issued on the maintenance of pilot ladders

The maintenance of pilot ladders remains a concern says The Shipowners P&I Club
The maintenance of pilot ladders remains a concern says The Shipowners P&I Club

The Shipowners P&I Club has issued a safety bulletin concerning the maintenance of pilot ladders. They say that pilot ladders remain the most efficient way for pilots to board vessels and even though this is a simple process improper pilot boarding arrangements continue to give rise to claims. These can include serious injuries to pilots occasionally resulting in death.

Pilots are typically required to board ships at sea, sometimes with high freeboards in order to assist with the manoeuvring of the vessel. Pilot boarding arrangements generally consist of a rope ladder which is constructed to the overseeing authorities’ statutory requirements. In case of excessive freeboards, combination ladders (a combination of the ship’s gangway and the pilot ladder) are used.

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Further warning issued about limited preparation ahead of container weighing from 1 July 2016

According to UK P&I Club, some terminals and shippers are not prepared for the enforcement of the SOLAS on 1st July that will see all packed containers mandatorily weighed before loading. The Club notes that without steps to address the requirements of the SOLAS amendment, it is likely that chaos and commercial disputes could ensue. Furthermore, UK P&I Club warns that a failure to comply will result in fines, delays and potential loss of business for carriers.

The SOLAS amendment coming into force on 1st July 2016 requires, as a condition for loading a packed container onto a ship for export, that the container has a verified gross mass (‘VGM’). As from 1st July 2016, it will become a violation of SOLAS to load a packed container onto a ship if the ship operator and marine terminal operator do not have the VGM of the container. All 163 Signatory States to SOLAS will need to implement this SOLAS amendment through their national legislation.

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Poor decision making led to the Cemfjord’s capsizing reveals MAIB investigation report

The report into MAIB’s investigation of the capsize and sinking of the cement carrier Cemfjord in the Pentland Firth, Scotland with the loss of 8 lives on 2-3 January 2015 has been published.

At 1316 on 2 January 2015, the Cyprus registered cement carrier Cemfjord capsized while transiting the Pentland Firth, Scotland; no distress message was transmitted. Twenty-five hours later, the alarm was raised when its upturned hull was sighted by a passing ferry. An extensive search followed but none of Cemfjord’s eight crew were found and they are all assumed to have perished. The vessel sank late in the evening on 3 January 2015.

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Bureau Veritas publishes guidelines for offshore access systems

The increasing use of offshore access systems that are now routinely used in the offshore oil and gas, as well as the offshore wind industry, has prompted classification society, Bureau Veritas, to publishing some guidelines.

The guidelines have been developed for motion compensated offshore access systems, which are used to transfer various personnel from all disciplines to and from offshore vessels and offshore installations and structures.

Guidance Note NI629: Certification of Offshore Access Systems provides a clear and comprehensive overview of the safety principles and technical requirements for the design, manufacturing and operation of reliable and dependable equipment for the safe transfer of personnel at sea. Continue reading “Bureau Veritas publishes guidelines for offshore access systems”

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