Engine Room Safety Alert: Pipe Compression fittings and Fire Prevention

Engine Room Safety Alert released by Lloyd’s Register

Lloyd’s Register has released an Engine Room Safety Alert following the conclusions of a recent maritime safety report by Federal Bureau. It has again highlighted the need for constant vigilance, maintenance and safety procedures. In particular, care is required when positioning and fitting compression fittings involving possible flammable liquids and oils that can impinge on nearby hot surfaces, which then combine to ignite, causing a serious fire in the engine room/machinery space.

Having investigated the fire in the main engine room of the German flagged ferry, Continue reading “Engine Room Safety Alert: Pipe Compression fittings and Fire Prevention”

Fund Britain’s Waterways makes urgent call on Government to stop inland waterways falling into disrepair

Fund Britain’s Waterways makes urgent call on Government

Britain’s unique and well-loved network of canals and navigable rivers is deteriorating because of inadequate funding. At a time of unprecedented challenges caused by the climate emergency and high inflation, the government is failing to respond. Fund Britain’s Waterways (FBW), a coalition of organisations representing hundreds of thousands of users and supporters of inland waterways, is campaigning for national and local governments to act now and protect our waterways’ public benefit and natural capital.

Management of Britain’s 5,000 miles of navigable inland waterways is fragmented. The Canal & River Trust (CRT) is responsible for Continue reading “Fund Britain’s Waterways makes urgent call on Government to stop inland waterways falling into disrepair”

Electric boat and ship markets gaining momentum, says IDTechEx

In its new report “Electric Boats & Ships 2024-2044,” technology company IDTechEx has provided granular 20-year forecasts in unit sales, battery demand and battery market value for the electric ferry, electric cargo/container, electric Ro-Ro, electric cruise, electric OSV, electric tugboat and electric recreational boats by power class. It also shared technology analysis and price information on marine Li-ion battery systems ($/kWh 2020 – 2044) and electric propulsion systems.

The company pointed out that across the land-based electric vehicle sectors, there is mostly a transition to battery-electric propulsion Continue reading “Electric boat and ship markets gaining momentum, says IDTechEx”

Canada introduces mandatory wastewater regulations for cruise ships with immediate effect

mandatory wastewater regulations introduced by government in Canada
mandatory wastewater regulations introduced by government officials in Canada

Citing the importance of strengthening Canada’s environmental standards, government officials have announced that effective immediately they have moved from voluntary to mandatory measures governing cruise ship wastewater discharges. Having previously been criticized for lax standards and enforcement, they highlighted that the new measures align with or exceed standards set out by the International Maritime Organization.

“We need to ensure they are doing so in a more sustainable manner moving forward,” Omar Alghabra, Canada’s Minister of Transport said while recognizing the contribution of cruise tourism to Canada’s economy. Continue reading “Canada introduces mandatory wastewater regulations for cruise ships with immediate effect”

IIMS 2023 AGM, Dinner and Conference Report

Some of the delegates who attended the IIMS Conference
Some of the delegates who attended the IIMS Conference

Over three days in early June, IIMS hosted its first international in-person event since the pandemic in and around the Southampton area in the UK. The event consisted of a Directors’ dinner, quarterly management board meeting, formal dinner, Annual General Meeting and the main conference itself.

The dinner, held at Chilworth Manor Hotel, drew over 50 attendees from all branches of the surveying profession. The beautiful evening allowed diners to congregate outside on the patio before dinner was served. David Pestridge said Grace, followed by Peter Broad, who proposed the Loyal Toast. Guest speaker, Neil Roberts, Head of Marine & Aviation at Lloyds Market Association gave an excellent address Continue reading “IIMS 2023 AGM, Dinner and Conference Report”

MAIB report issued into person overboard from creel fishing vessel with loss of life

At about 0736 on 28 August 2021, the owner and skipper of the lone-operated creel fishing vessel Harriet J accidentally entered the water while shooting the fishing gear. The unmanned vessel motored away and the skipper was neither able to reboard the vessel nor call for assistance. There were no witnesses to the accident and the alarm was raised by the skipper of another fishing vessel working in the area, who observed the unmanned vessel at 0745.

A search was carried out by local fishing boats and emergency services and just before 0900, the skipper was recovered unconscious from the water. Continue reading “MAIB report issued into person overboard from creel fishing vessel with loss of life”

Vision Marine prepares for mass production of battery packs

Vision Marine Technologies has acquired industrial tooling to support the production capacity of more than 10,000 battery packs per year. This includes the tooling for the marine custom-designed battery pack’s cell stack and cooling system and the bolstering of the company’s intellectual property and ownership of the conception and design of the pack’s external casing.

“Our voyage towards mass production represents a monumental milestone for Vision Marine,” remarked Alexandre Mongeon, CEO and Continue reading “Vision Marine prepares for mass production of battery packs”

De-risking the carriage of lithium-ion batteries

At the heart of efforts to draw attention to the hazards inherent in transporting lithium-ion batteries, specialist freight insurer TT Club now urges debate leading to a balanced, yet realistic awareness of the dangers, and a united approach to enhancing their safe carriage. Improved regulatory clarity is required and auto manufacturers need to address transport safety issues more thoroughly.

Rapid development of battery technology and the uncertainties Continue reading “De-risking the carriage of lithium-ion batteries”

Oily rags were the cause of luxury yacht fire are accident investigation findings

The marine environment takes a toll on coatings, and to keep up with maintenance, most ships’ crews use oil-based paints and finishes almost every day that the weather allows. These materials come with an inherent fire risk, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has warned, because waste and rags from cleanup can easily combust. For finishes containing linseed oil – a common ingredient in wood finishes – the risk is elevated by the material’s tendency to self-heat and ignite. Left alone, a linseed-soaked rag can catch fire without any external source of ignition as the crew of the yacht Pegasus discovered last year. Continue reading “Oily rags were the cause of luxury yacht fire are accident investigation findings”

Overreliance on ECDIS seen as factor in cruise ship strike on Alaska pier

In its report on a May 9, 2022, incident that saw a Royal Caribbean cruise ship strike a cruise terminal pier causing $2.1 million in damage, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) identifies overreliance on an ECDIS electronic chart, miscommunication and an outdated navigational chart as all factors in causing the strike.

The cruise ship Radiance of the Seas was docking at the Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal on May 9, 2022, when it struck and damaged a mooring dolphin. The cruise ship sustained a minor hull indentation. The mooring dolphin sustained damage to three of the four pilings supporting it. There were no reported injuries to the 1,375 passengers, 782 crew and four pilots on board. Continue reading “Overreliance on ECDIS seen as factor in cruise ship strike on Alaska pier”

Optima e10 electric boat first to circumnavigate UK’s Isle of Wight

Putting a new twist on the age-old challenge of racing around the UK’s Isle of Wight, the Optima e10 is now the first electric boat to accomplish the feat.

With its innovative ‘stabilized monohull’‘ design and creator David Kendall at the helm, it completed the 51 nautical mile (95km) journey in just under 6 hours, starting and finishing at Lymington Yacht Haven with no enroute charging.

‘An incredibly comfortable and enjoyable trip’
Kendall, also the CEO of Optima’s boatbuilding operations, Continue reading “Optima e10 electric boat first to circumnavigate UK’s Isle of Wight”

Inland waterways users urged to help in battle against invasive water plant

Environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, in partnership with the Environment Agency, has launched its #PennywortAlert scheme for 2023 as it urges the public to report sightings of the harmful aquatic weed, floating pennywort, on waterways. Floating pennywort can grow up to an astonishing 20cm per day in late summer. It forms dense mats of kidney-shaped leaves on the water’s surface, depleting oxygen levels, blocking out vital sunlight for our native aquatic plants and, ultimately, threatening fish, invertebrates, insects and our wider native ecosystems. Continue reading “Inland waterways users urged to help in battle against invasive water plant”

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